Walsh & Hoyt: History

Excessive drying of the eyes occurs in several settings, including reduced production, increased evaporation, and excessive drainage of tears. Epiphora excessive tearing also occurs under several different circumstances, including increased production of tears, an obstructed lacrimal drainage system, or excessive dryness of the eyes caused by a deficiency of normal basal tearing from hypofunction of the glands of Krause and Wolfring. In this last setting, the excess tearing is reflexive in nature and results from stimulation of the primary lacrimal gland in response to dryness and irritation of the cornea. Indeed, epiphora and irritation from dry eyes is one of the most common ocular problems in the United States and the world.