London: An eye drop made from the seeds of tamarind tree is the new effective treatment for dry, sore, itchy eyes.

Rohto Dry Eye Relief, made by a Japanese firm, has been clinically proven to treat the condition, a newspaper reported.

The solution is a combination of hyaluronic acid and a polysaccharide made from the seeds of the tamarind tree.

Clinical trials have shown that volunteers using the Rohto eye drops had a five-fold improvement in their symptoms compared with a group using only hyaluronic acid.

The condition called “dry eye” syndrome affects up to a third of the population at some point in their lives and occurs where there is a low level of tear (or aqueous humour) production in the eye or an excessive loss of tears from evaporation or a combination of both.

Women are believed to be affected nine times more than men. Post-menopausal women tend to suffer more as they make fewer tears.

It can also be a side effect of some medications including diuretics, some antihistamines, the contraceptive Pill and beta-blockers.

Increasing levels of air pollution also mean our eyes are exposed to more potential irritants and bacteria.

The symptoms of “dry eye” include discomfort, a feeling of grittiness in the eye or a burning feeling, aversion to light and blurred vision.