Holly jolly?

New research published in the International Journal of Ophthalmology has found that mistletoe combined with carboxymethyl cellulose may help to ease the symptoms of dry eye in postmenopausal women.

As part of the study, 60 postmenopausal women with dry eye between the ages of 50 and 56 used eye drops containing either saline or mistletoe extract with carboxymethyl cellulose.

The patients used the drops four times each day for two months.

At the end of the trial, tear film function and tear proteins were markedly improved in the group treated with the mistletoe solution.

In addition, the average amount of corneal epithelium basal cells and inflammatory cells in the mistletoe-treated group were significantly decreased when compared to the control group.

The authors concluded: “Mistletoe combined with carboxymethyl cellulose eye drops can alleviate the symptoms and signs of dry eye.”