There are three types of tears:

Basal tears found in the eye to lubricate, nourish and protect the cornea. They are a protective barrier.

Reflex tears that are formed to rid the eye of potentially irritating substances such as smoke, foreign bodies, etc. This type of tears is produced in greater quantity than the basal ones.

Psychic or emotional tears that are caused by a wide variety of emotions, both happy and sad. According to a study by Dr. William Frey, the composition of these is different and contains higher levels of stress hormones and neurotransmitters, so he came to the conclusion that the purpose of this type of tears is to get rid of stress .