if i can cry when i'm sad does that mean lacrimal glands are ok?

[M@ri@]

I had no trouble crying today when I was feeling horrible- my eyes were full of tears. Is this a sign that my tears don't have a problem with the aqueous layer?

[Rebecca Petris]

I had no trouble crying today when I was feeling horrible- my eyes were full of tears. Is this a sign that my tears don't have a problem with the aqueous layer?

No. Think of aqueous tear deficiency as a spectrum, not a got-it-or-you-don't.

And most importantly, not all aqueous tears are created equal.

There's basal tears - that's the normal tear coating that is constantly secreted to keep the eye moist and comfortable and to keep vision clear. Then there's the special-purpose tears - reflex tears, which are triggered by wind, grit/dust in the eye etc as a natural reflex to wash out the eye or protect it from damage. Emotional tears are a special-purpose kind of tear.

You can have poor basal tear production but still have plenty of reflex tear capacity. Those who are the very driest amongst us have impaired production of both types of aqueous tears and literally can't cry. That's the extreme end of the spectrum of aqueous deficiency.