Most people never notice the tiny openings located near the inner corners of their eyelids, but these small structures perform an important job every day.

 

Most people never notice the tiny openings located near the inner corners of their eyelids, but these small structures perform an important job every day.

Known as lacrimal puncta, these tiny holes are part of the body's tear drainage system. Each eye typically has two puncta, one on the upper eyelid and one on the lower. Every time you blink, excess tears are guided toward these openings instead of remaining on the surface of the eye.

The tears then travel through tiny channels called canaliculi, which carry the fluid into the lacrimal sac, a small reservoir located beside the nose. From there, the tears move down the nasolacrimal duct and eventually drain into the nasal cavity.

This hidden connection explains a familiar experience: when people cry, their noses often start running. The tears produced by the eyes do not simply fall down the cheeks. Many of them are routed through this drainage system directly into the nose.

The process works continuously throughout the day, helping keep the eyes comfortable, clean, and properly lubricated.

It's a remarkable example of how the human body contains small but highly efficient systems that most people rarely notice, despite using them every time they blink.