I\'m not crying, you\'re crying

Mucin + Oil + Water = Tear Film

Mucin coats the cornea. Oil to keep it from evaporating. Water for lubrication and even distribution.

Too much of one and not enough of the other can truly disturb the balance of your tear film which can lead to dry eye syndrome. Treatment for dry eye will vary depending on which component is missing or not being produced. Some argue they don't have dry eye because they're constantly tearing. This is a symptom of dry eye called "Reflex Tearing."

​​​​​​​Reflex tearing is your body's response to irritation or if you have a foreign body in the eye. Your eye is reacting to flush away any unwanted substance. The components of this tear differs from tears that are produced when you cry (emotional tears). Emotional tears have a lot more protein and hormones. This type of tear also causes dryness which is usually temporary. Once the osmotic balance is restored, all is well with the universe.