The Tear System (Lacrimal Apparatus)

This system of the body is used to keep our eyes moisturized. If the eyes go dry, we go blind. There are a few parts of this system:

• The Eyes are organs used for seeing.
• Lacrimal glands are located behind the upper corner of the eyes and make the salty water that becomes tears.
• Meibomian glands on the edges of the eyelids produce oil that mixes with the water from the lacrimal glands to become tears.
• Lacrimal puncta are what pump tears out of the eyes.
• Lacrimal sacs in the inside corner of the eye collect tears that drain out of the eyes through your lacrimal puncta.
• Nasolacrimal ducts are tear ducts that drain tears out of the eyes into the nose.

The eyes have a few types of cells, here are the two most important ones:

• Photoreceptors detect light and turn it into an electrical signal
• Retinal Ganglion Cells receive signals from photoreceptors and transmit them to the brain through the optic nerve.

A tissue that can be found in the eye is:

• Retinal Pigment Epithelium helps the photoreceptor cells survive and function well.