Lacrimal Ducts

The lacrimal ducts are tiny channels, located beside the nose, that are responsible for draining the lacrimal fluid (also known as tears) from the eye to the lacrimal sac. Another term for the lacrimal ducts is tear ducts. When you blink your eye the eyelid pushes tears into the puncta, which is essentially a drain. The puncta empties into channels called canaliculi which connect the eyes to the nose. The canaliculi the drain into tear sacs (also known as a lacrimal sacs) that lie beside the nose. The lacimal sac then narrows into the lacrimal duct which eventually drains through the nasal bone into the nostril. The lacrimal ducts are responsible for providing the moisture that keeps the eyes clean and healthy. Although these ducts are constantly in action - providing moisture and cleansing to the eyes - they are also stimulated by intense emotions, strong odors or contaminants in the air and result in crying.