Industry News
Aston University Researcher Develops App to Help Manage Dry Eye Symptoms
An optometrist from Aston University has developed a new mobile app, MyDryEye, to support people living with dry eye disease by guiding them through an evidence-based blinking exercise routine shown to ease symptoms.
Professor James Wolffsohn, Head of the School of Optometry at Aston University and a specialist in dry eye disease, led a study to determine the most effective blinking technique for improving symptoms. His research found that a "close-squeeze-blink" cycle, repeated 15 times, three times per day, was the most effective method.
Dry eye disease is a common condition that affects one-third of adults and one-in-five children. It occurs when the eyes do not produce enough tears or the tears are of poor quality, leading to discomfort, itchy or gritty sensations, watering, and blurred vision. The condition can be worsened by dry air, screen use, dust, wind, and incomplete blinking.
Professor Wolffsohn’s team conducted two studies to identify and test the optimal blinking routine. The first involved 98 participants randomly assigned different blinking exercises. Their symptoms were assessed before and after a two-week period. A second study with 28 participants further measured the impact of the routine. Both studies found that symptom severity and the number of incomplete blinks decreased while participants were doing the exercises. However, symptoms returned to previous levels within two weeks of stopping.
Following the research, Professor Wolffsohn collaborated with engineer and former Aston student Alec Kingsnorth, and Mark Nattriss, business manager of spin-out company Wolffsohn Research Ltd, to develop the MyDryEye app. The MyDryEye app for iOS and Android phones was created that allows blinking exercise reminders to be sent and compliance to be monitored: https://dry-eye-association.com/dry-eye-association-app/
MyDryEye enables users to:
- Track dry eye symptoms
- Assess risk factors
- Receive treatment reminders
- Monitor adherence to the exercise routine
- Access the science-based blinking exercises
- Locate nearby specialists
Professor Wolffsohn said the blinking exercises should be used as part of a broader treatment programme, which may also include lipid-based artificial tears, omega-3 supplements and warm compresses.
“This research confirmed that blink exercises can be a way of overcoming the bad habit of only partially closing our eyes during a blink, that we develop when using digital devices. The research demonstrated that the most effective way to do the exercises is three times a day, 15 repeats of close, squeeze shut and reopen – just three minutes in total out of your busy lifestyle. To make it easier, we have made our MyDryEye app freely available on iOS and Android so you can choose when you want to be reminded to do the exercises and for this to map your progress and how it affects your symptoms.”, Wolffsohn said.
The full paper, Optimisation of Blinking Exercises for Dry Eye Disease, is available in Contact Lens and Anterior Eye at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clae.2025.102453.
