Eli5: how come tears don’t sting our eyes even though they are salty?
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Tears are not particularly salty, I think what you’re used to as “salty water” would be ocean water, which is several times saltier than anything we could tolerate.
The eyes themselves are already full of “tears”, so they’re used to the salt level roughly in tears, and actually having tears run down your face, just happens when they produce more water than they already had/needed.
Tears are not particularly salty, I think what you’re used to as “salty water” would be ocean water, which is several times saltier than anything we could tolerate.
The eyes themselves are already full of “tears”, so they’re used to the salt level roughly in tears, and actually having tears run down your face, just happens when they produce more water than they already had/needed.
Tears are not particularly salty, I think what you’re used to as “salty water” would be ocean water, which is several times saltier than anything we could tolerate.
The eyes themselves are already full of “tears”, so they’re used to the salt level roughly in tears, and actually having tears run down your face, just happens when they produce more water than they already had/needed.
The salt content is rather low and is specially suited to our eyes there are three different forms of tears, basal, reflex and psychic tears. https://youtu.be/HdtC8-LApEY
The salt content is rather low and is specially suited to our eyes there are three different forms of tears, basal, reflex and psychic tears. https://youtu.be/HdtC8-LApEY
The salt content is rather low and is specially suited to our eyes there are three different forms of tears, basal, reflex and psychic tears. https://youtu.be/HdtC8-LApEY
My tears actually burn the living hell out of my eyes and I’ve never been able to figure out why.
My tears actually burn the living hell out of my eyes and I’ve never been able to figure out why.
My tears actually burn the living hell out of my eyes and I’ve never been able to figure out why.
Salt stings because of osmotic pressure. Water moves out of your eye cells to balance the salt concentrations inside/outside.
Tears have the same concentration of salt as the inside of your cells so that does not happen. It’s also why lubricating eye drops containing saline don’t sting either.
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