Have you ever wondered what tears are for?
To many people tears is a show of weakness and you hear them counsel others and say “Be a man, don’t shed tears”
To so many, once they see you shed tears they begin to panic and ask questions like: “Are you okay?” “What’s wrong with you?”
Tears has a beauty that transcends emotions. The eye that is short of tears is one that is suffering dearly and needs urgent attention. Tears is a clear liquid secreted by the lacrimal gland found in the eyes of all land mammals.
Basic Components of Tears
Tears are composed of
- Water
- Electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, magnesium, and calcium.)
- Proteins (lysozyme, lactoferrin, lipocalin, and IgA).
- Lipids
- Mucins
The next time you see anyone shed tears just know that there is so much in it.
Do you know that not all tears are the same? We have three different types of tears namely:
- Basal Tears
These are your basic tears. Your eyes roll around in them all day. They contain oil, mucus, water and salt, and help fight infection. The oil keeps your tears in place and prevents them from evaporating into the atmosphere. Blinking spreads them evenly over the surface of the eye. These tears can improve your vision and sharpen your focus.
2. Irritant Tears
These are your eyewash tears. The glands under your eyebrows push them out when you peel onions, vomit or get dust in your eye. They flush out the material that’s irritating your eyes. These are the kind of tears that stream down your face when your allergies are kicking into high gear
3. Emotional Tears
These tears gush in response to strong emotions like sadness, grief, joy or rage. They have the same chemical makeup as basal tears, but contain more stress hormones and natural painkillers.
Tears play important roles in keeping our eyes healthy.
The condition that occurs when your tears aren’t able to provide adequate lubrication for your eyes is called Dry Eyes Disease. Dry eyes disease is treatable.
There is beauty in tears. When occasion demands that you shed some tears, please don’t hold it back. Tears is always for your greater good. But if your eyes are irritated, itchy, red or swollen, or if you’re constantly crying without any noticeable reason, you should seek out your optometrist to determine the underlying cause in case you have an eye infection or other untreated condition.