• Question: What is a 'tear'?

    Asked by tazmoraz to Duncan, Grant, Julie, Nik, Rachel on 18 Mar 2013.
    • Photo: Duncan Gaskin

      Duncan Gaskin answered on 18 Mar 2013:


      Tears are liquid that is produced by a special gland called the tear gland. The liquid is used to keep the surface of your eye ball moist (this allows the eye to move around in its socket, dry eyes itch and are sore), to protect the eye from bacteria that come from the air (tears contain a range of substances that kill bacteria) and to wash out any bigger bits of dust or grit that get into the eye.
      If you get a piece of grit in your eye you produce lots of the tear fluid to try and wash it out and hence you start to weep or cry as the excess fluid runs out of your eye and down your face.

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