• Question: why does water come out of our eyes when we cry

    Asked by 242bdya43 to Katie, Andy, Duane, Giovanna, Theresia on 12 Nov 2014. This question was also asked by 428bdya43.
    • Photo: Duane Mellor

      Duane Mellor answered on 12 Nov 2014:

      Tears are a way or removing dust from our eyes and protect them. In humans this has adapted into a response that shows emotion. I am not sure of the details

    • Photo: Andrew Philp

      Andrew Philp answered on 12 Nov 2014:

      That is a great question! I don’t think we know exactly how or why emotions lead to the physical generation of tears. Tear ducts release water to typically clean the eye, such as when dust of dirt gets into the eye. Quite why humans have adapted this response to reflect emotion to my knowledge is unclear. I think its true that humans are thought to be the only species that have developed a crying response triggered by emotion.

Comments