Media Advisory - Celebrating the Tearjerkers - Those Sentimental Books that Make Us Cry

Bestselling Canadian Author to Host Book Club to Raise Awareness about Dry Eye Disease

TORONTO, May 14, 2012 /CNW/ - It's Vision Health Month, and Tish Cohen, in partnership with Harper Collins Canada, is hosting a book club on Tuesday, May 22, 2012, to speak about her bestselling novels and increase awareness about the important role of healthy tears in eye health, because everyone should be able to enjoy a good book and a good cry.

Tears are more than just an emotional release; they actually play an important role in the health of the eye. By lubricating the eyes, tears help provide clear vision and protection from bacteria and environmental irritants.¹ But for many people, tears are not enough: up to 30 per cent suffer from Dry Eye disease, one of the most common reasons that people visit their eye care professional.²

Tish Cohen is the author of Inside Out Girl, a Globe and Mail bestseller, and Town House, a regional finalist for the Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best First Book. Her most recent novel is The Truth About Delilah Blue (2010).

Who:			Tish Cohen, author, Globe and Mail bestseller
			Dr. Allan Slomovic, Clinical Director of the Cornea/External Disease Service at the Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network
What:			Interview opportunity to connect one-on-one with bestselling author Tish Cohen and Dr. Allan Slomovic, Ophthalmologist.
When:			May 22, 2012, All Day (Book club event starts at 7:00 p.m.)
Where:			Interviews available in GTA Book Club: Chapters - Ancaster, Meadowland Regional Centre, 737 Golf Links Road, Unit 1, Ancaster, Ontario L9K 1L5

About Dry Eye Disease

Dry Eye disease is a condition where the eyes cannot produce the right quantity or quality of tears,³ which can lead to more serious problems, including impaired vision and an increased risk of eye infection.^2,4 Women have a higher prevalence of this disease, which causes painful and irritating symptoms that can make even the simplest activities, like reading, a less than enjoyable experience.^{1, 5}

 

 

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO ARRANGE AN INTERVIEW, PLEASE CONTACT:

Amanda Mills Sirois
ALLERGAN Inc.
T: 905-940-7066
[email protected]

Kristen King
NATIONAL Public Relations
T: [phone]
[email protected] 

References:

¹ Allergan U.S. Chronic Dry Eye Disease Overview.
² Jackson WB. Management of dysfunctional tear syndrome. Can J Ophthalmol. 2009;44(4):385-394
³ Camelford Graham Research Group, Project Allergan, Dry Eyes, Final Report, 2006.
⁴ Schaumberg D, Sullivan D, Buring J, Dana R. Prevalence of Dry Eye syndrome among U.S. women. Am J Ophthalmol. 2003;136:318-326.
⁵ Somer, Elizabeth. American Optometric Association. What Women Need to Know about their Eyes: Omega-3s Might Help Dry Eye Syndrome. http://www.aoa.org/x13399.xml. Accessed February 2012.