Tear drainage pathway

The tear drainage pathway is an anatomical system, not a molecule or receptor. It consists of a series of ducts that transport tears from the ocular surface into the nasal cavity. The pathway starts at small openings called the puncta, located at the inner corners of the upper and lower eyelids. Tears enter the canaliculi, then flow into the lacrimal sac and from there down the nasolacrimal duct into the nose. The system ensures tear fluid is efficiently drained from the eye; blockage at any point may lead to excessive tearing, infection, or irritation. The pathway includes physiological mechanisms such as the lacrimal pump, facilitated by blinking and the orbicularis oculi muscle[2][6][9]. The tear drainage pathway itself is not a drug target or molecule, but rather an anatomical route necessary for normal ocular function and is relevant mainly in surgical, anatomical, or pathological contexts[2][4][9].

Other names

Tear drainage systemLacrimal drainage apparatusNasolacrimal drainage pathwayLacrimal drainage systemTear duct system