The Lacrmal Apparatus (Tear Gland)

What is the Lacrimal Apparatus?
The lacrimal or tear gland is the sac of the eye that secretes tears. Tears are drained from the eye by a collecting and drainage system. This is collectively called as the lacrimal apparatus.

Where is the Lacrimal Apparatus located?
The lacrimal apparatus consists of the lacrimal gland and the collecting system. The lacrimal gland is located above each eyeball at the outer side beneath the eyebrow. The rest of the lacrimal apparatus is located in the inner and lower part of each eye.

How can we describe the Lacrimal Apparatus?
The lacrimal sac is a sac like structure about the size of a pea. The tears secreted by the lacrimal glands collect in the eye and are drained into the nose. This drainage takes place by the help of a collecting system. In this setup there are two canals, called lacrimal canals one each in the upper and lower lid on the inside that collect tears from the eye and transport them into a large duct, called as the naso-lacrimal duct. This duct then drains the tears into the nose.

Functions of the Lacrimal Apparatus
The main function of the lacrimal apparatus is to protect and lubricate the eye. Tears are a watery fluid that protects the eye by forming a protective film on the eye and also flushes out dirt and foreign bodies from the eye. They are spread evenly on the surface of the eye whenever we blink. Tears lubricate the eye and prevent friction of the eyelids on the eye surface. They also contain an antiseptic agent that kills invading bacteria. Tears are produced by the stimulation by the part of the nervous system known as the sympathetic nervous system. Hence emotional stimuli like a sad incident or extreme joy also cause the production of tears.