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Complications
By Mayo Clinic staffIt sounds like a contradiction, but you may have dry eyes and still at times find yourself with tears streaming down your cheeks. Why?
Production of tears occurs in two ways. Basic tearing produces tears at a slow, steady rate and keeps your eyes lubricated. What's called reflex tearing produces large quantities of tears in response to eye irritation or emotions. Reflex tears contain much more water than do basic tears, and they're low in mucus and oils.
When your eyes become irritated from dryness, the lacrimal glands flood your eyes with reflex tears. Fluid overwhelms the tear ducts and overflows your eyelids. What's more, because these tears are of poor quality, they don't help the dryness. That may make you produce even more tears.
Most people with dry eyes don't experience any long-term complications. However, if left untreated, severe dry eyes may lead to eye inflammation, infection and scarring on the surface of your cornea.
