The saltiness of your tears comes from the sodium chloride that flows into your eyes to help control the osmotic pressure, which helps regulate the amount of water that enters and leaves your eyes.

What are my Tears Made of?

Tears comprise three different bodily fluids – 98% water, 2% oil, and protein. The water content in tears is the same as saliva, which is necessary for lubricating the eye. The oil in tears helps to form a protective layer over the eye. The protein in tears is found in other body fluids like blood and urine.

Are Tears Salty Because of Electrolytes?

Tears are salty because of electrolytes, a type of mineral found in the body. Tears contain electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and chloride. When you cry, these electrolytes travel from your eyes to your nose and cause it to run.

What do Electrolytes Contain?

Electrolytes are electrically charged particles in the body. Electrolytes help maintain fluid balance and transmit nerve signals, among other things. These particles can be found in many different things, such as food, drinks, and supplements.

Electrolytes contain sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Each electrolyte varies depending on the person’s diet and general health. When someone cries, they are not just shedding tears; they are also expelling electrolytes.

Which Glands Create Tears?

The lacrimal glands produce tears in the eye. They bathe the eyeball and conjunctiva, a thin, transparent membrane lining the eyelid and the inside of the eye socket. The fluid from these glands is made of water, salts, and proteins. A lysozyme protein is also found in tears and contributes to their antibacterial properties.

The lacrimal gland is located beneath the skin of each lateral aspect of the upper nasal cavity, under the frontal process of each maxilla, and in front of each orbit. The gland opens into a common canaliculus, which opens into both conjunctival sacs.

The secretory portion of this gland consists mainly of small acinar cells which open into a common excretory duct; mucous cells are also present, but they do not form any distinct ducts.

The lacrimal sac is lined with mucous membrane; it opens anteriorly onto the medial end of the upper eyelid by an orifice called “the punctum” or “lacrimal punctum.”

This opening is surrounded by a ring-like elevation called “the lacrimal caruncle,” or “tear-gland caruncle,” from which it is separated by a fibrous band called “Sturck’s ligament.”

How do Tears Benefit you?

Tears are a natural response to emotional stimuli and can signify sadness, joy, or frustration. Tears help:

• Wash away irritants and particles from the surface of the eyes and eyelids.
• Moisten the surface of the eye to keep it from drying out.
• Carry nutrients to the eye surface and provide lubrication for eye movement.

What are the Three Layers of Tears?

Mucous Layer

The mucous layer of tears is a thin, clear layer that protects the eye from infection. Tears are a liquid secreted by the lacrimal glands in the eyelids. The mucous layer is a protective barrier that keeps bacteria from getting into the eye and causing an infection. Tears also contain an enzyme called lysozyme that destroys bacteria.

Aqueous Layer

The aqueous layer originates from the lacrimal gland, located in the upper outer corner of each eye. Tears are produced in this gland to lubricate and clean the eye.

The tear film also contains other substances that help maintain the health of your eyes. These are called proteins, lipids, enzymes, antibodies, and other molecules.

Oily Layer

The oily layer is a type of tear film composed of lipid and lipophilic secretions from the meibomian glands. It is an oily liquid covering the eye and eyelids, providing a protective layer against tear evaporation, irritants, and infection.

What are the Various Kinds of Tears?

Reflex Tears

Reflex tears are tears that we shed in response to a particular stimulus. We often cry when we are sad, but we also cry when we smell a good smell, see something cute, or get a hug from someone we love. These are all reflex tears. Reflex tears are usually the result of emotional stress, but they can also be caused by physical stress. For example, babies often cry when they are born because their eyes have difficulty adjusting to the light.

Basal Tears

Basal tears are a type of tear that is produced by the lacrimal gland and drains into the eye. These tears are essential to lubricate the eye and keep it healthy. If these tears do not produce enough, they can lead to dry eyes.

This usually happens when the person has a disease such as Sjogren’s syndrome or a side effect of certain medications. Dry eyes can also be caused by aging, allergies, or windy conditions.

Emotional or Psychic Tears

Emotional or psychic tears are not actual tears, but rather they are the release of emotions. Emotional tears are not typically caused by physical pain or injury but by emotional pain or trauma. Emotional tears are usually associated with sadness, grief, or despair.

The term “emotional tears” is somewhat misleading because it suggests that emotion is separate from the physical body. However, there is no separation between emotion and body; they are inextricably connected.

Emotional tears are a natural and healthy release of pent-up emotions that accumulate when we suppress our feelings for too long. We need to listen to our feelings and feel them release them properly. They are an important indicator of our emotional health and well-being.

Final Thoughts

Tears help lubricate the eye, moisten dry eyes, and help maintain the health of the tear film. Tears wash away foreign particles that could irritate the eye and provide nutrients for your eyes. Tears help protect your eyes from infection.

Tears are made up of three layers: the outermost layer is a thin, watery layer called the aqueous layer, the middle is called the mucus layer, and the innermost is the lipid (oil) layer. Tears typically contain antibodies that help protect your eyes from infections.

Salty tears are typically a sign of relief. Tears come in two types: the watery type with sadness and the thicker kind that comes with relief. When someone cries out of happiness, the tears will be more vicious because of their system’s higher levels of stress hormones.