Canadian Author Tish Cohen and Harper Collins Canada Release Top-10 Tearjerker Book Lists to Help Promote Healthy Tears
TORONTO, May 22, 2012 /CNW/ - Everyone enjoys a good cry now and then, especially when reading a great book. However, tears are more than just an emotional release; they actually play an important role in eye health.
Bestselling Canadian author Tish Cohen and Harper Collins Canada today released Canadians' Top-10 Tearjerker novels to drive awareness about the important role tears play in our eye health and celebrate those sentimental stories that make us cry.
Although many associate tears with emotional health - especially when reading a good tearjerker - the main function of tears is to lubricate the eyes to ensure clear vision and protection from bacteria and environmental irritants.1
CELEBRATING THE GENRE OF TEARJERKERS
A recent survey, conducted by Leger Marketing, reveals Canada's Top-10 Tearjerker novels - those top-10 of all time, as well as those written by Canadian authors.
| Top-10 Tearjerkers of All Time: 1. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank 2. The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks 3. Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare 4. Dr. Zhivago by Boris Pasternak 5. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell 6. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck 7. My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult 8. The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough 9. Charlotte's Web by E B White 10. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee |
Top-10 Canadian Tearjerkers: 1. Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery 2. The Love of a Good Woman by Alice Munro 3. The Piano Man's Daughter by Timothy Findley 4. A Complicated Kindness: A Novel by Miriam Toews 5. A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry 6. Fall On Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald 7. The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill 8. The Stone Angel by Margaret Laurence 9. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood 10. The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje |
Reading is a cherished pastime for many Canadian women, but for those suffering from Dry Eye disease - a condition where the eyes do not produce the right quantity or quality of tears2 - this favorite pastime can become a physically painful or uncomfortable activity.1,3
"The thought that reading can actually be physically painful for some people is awful," says Cohen. "As a writer who spends hours in front of the computer, I know what it's like to battle dry, itchy, tired eyes. But what I didn't know is that this temporary discomfort I face is a common reality for many women in Canada who suffer from Dry Eye disease."
During Vision Health Month in May, Tish Cohen will be visiting book clubs in Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto to speak about her best-selling novels and to increase awareness about the important role of healthy tears in eye health.
By visiting www.dryeyedisease.ca, booklovers everywhere can find lists of different top tearjerker books they can enjoy - because with a little awareness, everyone should be able to enjoy a good book and a good cry.
ABOUT DRY EYE DISEASE
Dry Eye disease is one of the most common - yet under-diagnosed - ocular diseases; if left untreated, it can lead to more serious problems, including increased risk of eye infection and even impaired vision.3,4
Dry Eye disease is a condition where the eyes do not produce the right quantity or quality of tears, which can have an impact on daily activities like reading, driving or using a computer.1,2
Symptoms of Dry Eye disease can vary and include: stinging, burning, scratchy sensation, sensitivity to light, tearing, tired eyes and blurred vision.5 Symptoms often worsen at the end of the day or after visually focusing for a prolonged period of time on a task.1
"Up to 30 per cent of people suffer from Dry Eye disease and it is one of the most common reasons that people visit their eye doctors," says Dr. Bruce Jackson, Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Ottawa Eye Institute, and the Ottawa Hospital. "Women are disproportionately affected by Dry Eye disease and it is important for them to recognize the symptoms, understand its long-term implications and the impact it can have on their quality of life."
WHAT CAUSES DRY EYE DISEASE
Dry Eye disease can be aggravated by a number of external factors such as hot, dry or windy environments, high altitudes, heating, air-conditioning and smoke.1 Many people also find that their eyes become irritated when reading or working on a computer.1,3
Women have a higher prevalence of Dry Eye disease than men.6, 7 Women suffer from Dry Eye disease more than men because of hormonal changes due to aging and menopause.3,7
Other medical conditions such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and Sjorgens (an autoimmune disease) can also have an effect on Dry Eye disease.8
ABOUT TISH COHEN
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 and successful book is The Truth About Delilah Blue, a Globe and Mail bestseller and "Best Book" of 2010. Click here to learn more www.tishcohen.com.
ABOUT HARPERCOLLINS
HarperCollinsCanada publishes fiction, non-fiction, and books for children, as well as religious and reference books. HarperCollins imprints in Canada include HarperCollins, HarperPerennial, HarperTrophyCanada, Collins, and Phyllis Bruce Books. These imprints publish many of Canada's finest writers, including Emma Donoghue, Lawrence Hill, Dianne Warren, and Richard B. Wright, as well as writers from around the world, such as Hilary Mantel, Richard Ford, Lionel Shriver, Marilynne Robinson, and Kate Grenville. For more information visit: www.harpercollins.ca.
ABOUT ALLERGAN
Allergan is a multi-specialty health care company established more than 60 years ago with a commitment to uncover the best of science and develop and deliver innovative and meaningful treatments to help people reach their life's potential. Today, we have approximately 10,000 highly dedicated and talented employees, global marketing and sales capabilities with a presence in more than 100 countries, a rich and ever-evolving portfolio of pharmaceuticals, biologics, medical devices and over-the-counter consumer products, and state-of-the-art resources in R&D, manufacturing and safety surveillance that help millions of patients see more clearly, move more freely and express themselves more fully. From our beginnings as an eye care company to our focus today on several medical specialties, including eye care, neurosciences, medical aesthetics, medical dermatology, breast aesthetics, obesity intervention and urologics, Allergan is proud to celebrate 60 years of medical advances and proud to support the patients and physicians who rely on our products and the employees and communities in which we live and work. In Canada, Allergan employs close to 200 people and has a corporate head office in Markham, Ontario.
About the survey: The survey was completed on-line from January 23 to 25, 2012 using Leger Marketing's online panel, LegerWeb, with a sample of 1523 Canadians. Accuracy data needed here.
References:
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1 Allergan U.S. Chronic Dry Eye Disease Overview.
2 Camelford Graham Research Group, Project Allergan, Dry Eyes, Final Report, 2006.
3 Schaumberg D, Sullivan D, Buring J, Dana R. Prevalence of Dry Eye syndrome among U.S. women. Am J Ophthalmol. 2003;136:318-326.
4 Henry D Perry and Eric D Donnenfeld. Topical 0.05% cyclosporin in the treatment of dry eye. Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy. 2004 5:10, 2099-2107. http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.1517/14656566.5.10.2099. Accessed February 2012.
5 Nichols KK. Patient-reported symptoms in dry eye disease. The Ocular Surface 2006;4(3):137-145.
6 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.
7 The Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society. 2007 Report of the International Dry Eye WorkShop (DEWS). Special Issue. The Ocular Surface 2007;5(2):67-204.
8 The Eye Digest. University of Illinois Eye & Ear Infirmary, Chicago, IL. May 19, 2009.
Video with caption: "Dry Eye Disease - Tears are more than just an emotional release". Video available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/cgi-bin/playback.cgi?file=20120522_C9443_VIDEO_EN_14000.mp4&posterurl=http://photos.newswire.ca/images/20120522_C9443_PHOTO_EN_14000.jpg&clientName=Allergan&caption=Dry%20Eye%20Disease%20%2D%20Tears%20are%20more%20than%20just%20an%20emotional%20release&title=Dry%20Eye%20Disease%20%2D%20Tears%20are%20more%20than%20just%20an%20emotional%20release&headline=Not%20a%20dry%20eye%20in%20the%20house
Audio with caption: "Dry Eye Disease and the Health of Your Eyes". Audio available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/media/2012/05/22/20120522_C9443_AUDIO_EN_13996.mp3
Audio with caption: "Tears are more than just an emotional release". Audio available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/media/2012/05/22/20120522_C9443_AUDIO_EN_13997.mp3
PDF available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/media/2012/05/22/20120522_C9443_DOC_EN_13998.pdf
OR TO ARRANGE AN INTERVIEW, PLEASE CONTACT:
Amanda Mills Sirois
ALLERGAN Inc.
T: 905-940-7066
[email protected]
Laura Tulley
NATIONAL Public Relations
T: 416-848-1386
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