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When eyes become dry, the natural reaction is to rub them, but this can damage the cornea. Now the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the French company Novagali say they can prevent dry eyes by coating the cornea with an emulsion of water and tiny droplets of castor oil that have been given a positive charge by stearylamine (WO 03/053405). They say the film of tear fluid that covers the cornea has a natural negative charge so the emulsion adheres evenly over the cornea. Once in place, the water lubricates the eye and the castor oil stops the tear fluid from evaporating.