Dont be shellfish... Did you know that your eyes produce three different types of tears, with three distinct chemical makeups? What’s the difference among these different tears? Drum roll, please… The three basic classifications of tears are: BASAL TEARS, REFLEX TEARS, AND WEEPING/CRYING. Basal tears keep our eyes, and cornea continually lubricated. Basal tears serve as a protective layer to the surface of our eyeball, helping to keep it clear of dust and foreign particles and bacteria. What are they made of? Water, mucin, lipids, lysozyme, lactoferrin, lipocalin, lacritin, immunoglobulins, glucose, urea, sodium, potassium. Reflex tears attempt to wash and get rid of foreign particles and irritants that may have come into contact with the eye. Onion vapors, peppery stimuli (such as pepper spray or spicy food), tear gas, coughing, vomiting, and yawning, along with the presence of foreign particles, such as sand and dirt, produce reflex tears. What are they made of? Basal tears and reflex tears have a very similar chemical composition. The emotional tears produced by crying, unlike those of basal or reflex tears, are triggered by psychological emotions (as opposed to tangible shit and dust). Emotional stress, mourning, joy, anger, and experiencing physical pain can all trigger the lacrimation that occurs from crying; these “emotional tears” can be initiated by positive or negative emotional states. What are they made of? Emotional tears are mostly made up of protein-based hormones, such as prolactin, adrenocorticotropic hormone, and leucine enkephalin. It’s worth noting that leucine enkephalin is a natural painkiller. Enkephalins are functionally similar to endorphins, and they bind to the opioid receptors in our body.
Posted on: Sun, 21 Dec 2014 11:52:02 +0000
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