Often, we see a post that says, “When a person cries and the first drop comes from the right eye, it’s happiness. Left eye is pain. Both indicate frustration.” While the post might have been made in jest, it quickly went viral on social media, and many started believing it. However, is there any truth to the matter? Turns out, not quite..

No scientific explanation

There is no scientific evidence to support the belief that the eye shedding the first tear determines the emotion behind it. The idea that a tear from the right eye signifies happiness and one from the left indicates sadness is a misconception. Tears, whether of joy or sorrow, are produced through the same physiological mechanism, and emerge from the same tear ducts. Emotional tears are not linked to specific eyes but arise as a natural response to emotional states.

Types of Tears

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), humans produce three types of tears: basal, reflex, and emotional.
Basal tears are always present in the eyes, serving to keep them moist, clear, and protected from external irritants. These tears maintain eye health and vision by forming a protective layer over the cornea.
Reflex tears are produced in response to irritants like smoke, fumes, or foreign particles in the eye. They help flush out these irritants and can even contain antibodies to fight bacteria.
Emotional tears are triggered by strong feelings such as sadness, happiness, or fear. These tears are unique because they arise from emotional arousal rather than physical stimuli.
Interestingly, emotional tears serve as social signals. They can communicate distress or joy when words fail, prompting empathy or support from others. However, interpreting these emotions depends on context rather than which eye sheds the first tear.


Misconceptions About Tear Origin

The notion that tear production differs between eyes is unfounded unless there is an anatomical abnormality or injury affecting one eye. A U.S.-based health group has clarified that there is no difference in the origin of tears between eyes under normal circumstances. Tear production is a bilateral process involving both eyes equally.
Regardless of the reason you cry, here's why crying is good for you

Makes you feel lighter

Remember how light you feel after you have cried your heart out? A good cry releases pent-up stress and tension, shifting the body out of a "fight or flight" response, and into a state of relaxation. Not only that, once you have cried enough, you see the situation more clearly, and you are more likely to come up with a problem to the solution, and that quickly.
Manage emotions

While some people cry more, and some less (and no, crying does not make you less of a man as they say), crying is a powerful tool to process one's emotions, both good or bad. Remember, when someone passes away, and a closed one is unable to cry out of shock? Or isn't it worrying when a child is born in the hospital and he/she is not crying? In this case, it is extremely important for the individual to let out all their emotions, else they will consume him/her as a whole.
Betters relationships

Crying makes you more vulnerable as a human, that in turn, teaches you qualities like understanding and empathy. Individuals who find it difficult to cry, often grapple with their emotions, and falter in relationships. Hence, crying often improves our relationship with our closed ones, and is key to loving, long term relationships, since you are well equipped to manage your emotions, and can even help others do so, hence navigating life better.
Self-soothing

Have you ever realised that you often cry to sleep after you have had trouble doing it during a period of grieving? This is because crying is self-soothing, and acts like your body's defence mechanism. Akin to receiving a hug, a good cry, even alone, helps to soothe you, and make you feel that it is okay. So, grab that pillow, and cry your eyes out if you need to! Trust us, you will feel better.
Physical benefits

Apart from these emotional benefits, crying also has some physical benefits, such as acting like a lubricant for the eyes. It can partially help dry eyes, and is known as a natural eye-drop. This apart, crying can also help in relieving physical pain, lowers blood pressure and heart rate (especially if you have been worked up), and cleans out your eyes.