Yes, dry eyes can cry, often as a reflex response to irritation.
While it seems counterintuitive, people with dry eye disease can experience excessive tearing. This happens because dry eyes are irritated eyes. When the surface of the eye is dry, the lacrimal glands (which produce tears) may overcompensate by producing a large volume of tears. However, these tears are often of poor quality, lacking the necessary oils and mucus to properly lubricate the eye. As the provided context indicates, "your lacrimal glands try to make more watery tears to compensate."
Here's a breakdown:
- The Problem: Dry eyes lack adequate lubrication due to insufficient tear production or poor tear quality.
- The Reflex: The body senses the dryness and irritation and triggers the lacrimal glands to produce more tears.
- The Result: A flood of mostly watery tears that don't effectively lubricate the eye, leading to continued dry eye symptoms despite the tearing.
Think of it like a leaky faucet: It's producing water (tears), but not in a controlled or effective way.
Therefore, excessive tearing is a paradoxical symptom of dry eye disease. The tears produced aren't solving the underlying problem of insufficient lubrication. Addressing the root cause of dry eye, such as meibomian gland dysfunction, is essential for long-term relief.
