Researchers at the University of Waterloo have discovered that a significant amount of increase in tear secretion and tear film stability after participating in aerobic exercise can be another remedy in helping with dry and itchy eyes.

Our eyes are covered in tear film every time we blink. This is important as the protective coating is necessary for maintaining a healthy ocular function. This healthy tear film consists of three layers-oil, water and mucin, all of which work together to hydrate the ocular surface and provide protection against the infection-causing irritants like dirt or dust.

Instability caused by any tear in any part of the tear film, would lead to the ocular surface developing dry spots, causing eye symptoms like itchiness or stinging and burning sensations.

“With so much of our activity tied to screen usage, dry eye symptoms are becoming increasingly common,” said Heinz Otchere, a PhD candidate in vision science at Waterloo. “Instead of having to use eye drops or other alternative treatments, our study aimed to determine if remaining physically active can be an effective preventative measure against dryness.”

In all there were fifty-two participants, which were divided into two groups namely, athlete and non-athlete, where they were asked to participate in a exercise session. The participants present in the athlete group exercised for at least five times per week, whereas the non-athletes participants exercised only once a week. The team of experts from the University of Cape Coast in Ghana, then performed a visual examination which were conducted before and after five minutes of the exercise sessions, where the tear secretion and tear break-up time were assessed.

It was noticed that the participants in the athlete group showed the largest increase, Otchere says all participants experienced a meaningful boost in tear quantity and tear film stability after the exercise session.

“It can be challenging for people to regularly exercise when the demand is there to work increasingly longer hours in front of screens,” Otchere said. “However, our findings show physical activity can be really important for not just our overall well-being, but for our ocular health too.”

This article was originally published by ScienceDaily.