Different Types Of Tears
Do you know that there are actually different types of tears?
Tears are composed of water, salts, amino acids, antibodies, and lysozymes (antibacterial enzymes). However, there are several types of tears, and their composition varies. For example, the tears we shed while crying are different from the tears that flood our eyes in the presence of irritants like onions, dust, or allergies.
Humans produce the following three kinds of tears:
- Basal – these tears are constantly at the front of the eyeball and form the liquid layer over the eyeball to keep it lubricated.
- Reflex – these tears appear when the eye is irritated, such as when the eyes feel gritty or when we get dust, sand, or other small foreign objects in our eyes.
- Psychogenic – these tears are sparked by emotion. They possess a higher protein level than basal and reflex tears, which makes them thicker, causing them to stream more slowly. Psychogenic tears are made up of higher concentrations of stress hormones such as adrenocorticotropic hormone and leucine enkephalin (a natural painkiller). This suggests that emotional tears play an important role in balancing stress hormone levels.
If you feel that your eyes are not as comfortable or your vision is not as clear as usual, contact our Patient Care Lines: (+632) 7-368 5238 l (+63) 917 862 7454 l (+63) 921 217 0517. Talk to us about how we can help you maintain or gain healthy vision.
