LAUGHTER really is the best medicine — for eyes, according to a study.

Researchers found cracking up could be as good as drops for those who suffer with dry eye syndrome.

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The condition prevents tear ducts from working properly and makes eyes red and scratchy.

It is estimated to affect a third of adults in the UK.

But a trial on 283 people found laughter exercise was as good as eye drops at relieving the symptoms.

This in turn can reduce anxiety and depression, the study reported.

The trial saw patients pretend to chuckle until they genuinely laughed, for five minutes at a time.

Another group used a standard treatment of sodium hyaluronic acid eye drops.

After eight weeks, the laughing group rated their discomfort an average of 10.5 points lower while the eye-drops group scored 8.8 points lower.

Laughing stimulates the nervous system in a way that triggers the eyes to produce more tears or squeeze them out.

Study author Dr Lingyi Liang, from Sun Yat-sen University in China, said: “Laughter exercise is a safe, environmentally friendly and low-cost intervention for patients.

“Benefits persisted for at least four weeks after stopping the exercise.

“Such lasting efficacy was not noted in the other group.”