10 Though-stimulating Facts About Tears

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1.Tears clean the eyes.

  • The tear film is a complex structure that constitutes the surface of the eyes.
  • It has 3 distinct layers, the lipid layer, aqueous and mucous which makes up the ocular surface and contain tear production.
  • Tears are produced to clean the eyes is called Lacrimal or basal tears.
  • It provides nourishment and corneal lubrication for a clearer vision.
  • It also improves the image absorbed by the retina.

2. Tears are response to eye irritation.

  • Tears are spread across the eyes through blinking.
  • Shedding of tears after contact with an irritants or foreign objects is one of the body’s defense mechanism (immunological protection).
  • This aims to flush out the debris which accidentally enters the eye.
  • This type of tear is called reflex tears.

3. Tears come out due to emotional response.

  • Shedding tears in grief and weeping is a form of psychological relief.
  • Sobbing tears are ways of releasing emotional upset and tension.
  • Strong emotional response is mediated by hypothalamus (Limbic system).
  • This type of tears is called psychic tears.

4. There is such thing as Crocodile tears.

  • This is called fake tears which are shedding, out of superficial sympathy.
  • An insincere display of emotions or sadness.
  • This type of tears is widely observed on actors and actresses on a drama scene.

5. Tears overflowing onto the face is a clinical sign of a certain condition.

  • This is called Epiphora (problematic watering) where in the tears shedding drains down the face and not through the nasolacrimal system.
  • Epiphora can be induced by over stimulation of cranial nerve V.
  • The most common cause of epiphora is irritation an inflammation of the upper lacrimal drainage system secondary to several factors such as aging, trauma to the area (facial facial fractures).

6.Tears taste pretty salty.

  • Tears may run down your check and ends up in your lips will make you realize that tears are salty.
  • This is because one of the component of tears is electrolytes mainly potassium and sodium.
  • In general, almost all bodily secretions are salty.

7. Tears shedding can be uncontrollably and inappropriately in certain conditions.

  • Have you seen a normal person crying and laughing at the same time?
  • This is true in post traumatic brain injury.
  • Emotional dyscontrol (irresistible laughing and crying) accompanied by disruptive behavior is termed Pathologic laughing and crying (psedobulbar affect).
  • Some other neurologic conditions where pathologic laughing and crying is observed are on cerebrovascular diseases and multiple sclerosis.

8. Tears may not be visible while crying.

  • Tears are supposed to shedding while crying.
  • Congenital Alacrima is a clinical symptom of blepharophimosis-ptosis-epicanthus inversus syndrome, an inherited autosomal dominant ocular condition.
  • There is an abnormality in tear production where there is a deficiency or totally absent of tears.

9. Tears are not only shedding out from the eyes.

  • Excessive crying results in abundance of tears.
  • The tears drains out through the tear ducts out from the surface of your eyes while some tears drains into the nose through the nasolacrimal ducts resulting in runny nose which is actually a mixture of tears and mucus due to excessive tear production.

10 .Shedding gallons of tears will result to headache.

  • Shedding a “river of tears” that drains through the lacrimal ducts creates pressure and congestion over the sinus area.
  • This will cause an irritation of nerves and blood vessels.
  • Strains in muscles involved during crying will cause headache.

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