250px|thumb|The tear system. A) Tear gland / Lacrimal glandB) Superior lacrimal punctumC) Superior lacrimal canalD) Tear sac / Lacrimal sacE) Inferior lacrimal punctumF) Inferior lacrimal canalG) Nasolacrimal canal Tears are a liquid process of lacrimation to clean and lubricate the eyes. The word lacrimation may also be used in a medical or literary sense to refer to crying. Strong emotions, such as sorrow or elation, may lead to crying. Although most land mammals have a lacrimation system to keep their eyes wet, Humans are the only animal generally accepted to cry emotional tears. [1][2]
Physiology
In humans, the tear film coating the eye has three distinct layers, from the most outer surface:
The lipid layer contains oils secreted by the meibomian glands. The outer-most layer of the tear film coats the aqueous layer to provide a hydrophobic barrier that retards evaporation and prevents tears spilling onto the cheek.
The aqueous layer contains water and other substances such as