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The eyelids play a key role in protecting the eyes. They sweep away debris when the eyes close and help spread moisture (tears) over the surface of the eyes when they open. The eyelids provide a mechanical barrier against injury by closing rapidly when needed.
An abnormality of the tear (lacrimal) glands can lead to insufficient tear production or to a deficiency in the composition of the tears themselves. Without adequate or normal tear production, the eyes can dry and may be unable to normally fight infections from airborne particles, fingertips, or surrounding skin. Abnormal tear production may be due to a problem within the tear glands (lacrimal glands) and ducts (lacrimal excretory ducts, which carry tears into the eye) or due to a body-wide (systemic) disease that affects the tear glands, such as Sjögren's syndrome (see Autoimmune Disorders of Connective Tissue: Sjögren's Syndrome).
Last full review/revision November 2007 by James Garrity, MD
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