The lacrimal gland

The lacrimal gland is a part of the lacrimal device and allocates a tear in a conjunctive bag which leaves slezootvodyashchy ways.

Structure of the lacrimal gland

The lacrimal gland has a lobular structure and is the tubular gland located in a frontal bone. In this gland from 5 to 10 output channels which pass in a conjunctive bag and allocate tears from a medial corner of a palpebral fissure to the lacrimal lake. The part of canals opens in a temporal part of a conjunctiva, and some channels open about an outside corner of a palpebral fissure in a conjunctive bag.

If eyes of the person are closed, then tears pass on the lacrimal stream in back sides a century. Passing through the lacrimal lake, tears proceed in dot openings at medial edges a century.

The dacryocyst represents an upper channel which is located in a bone pole, about an eye-socket. From walls of this bag bunches of the lacrimal ways which pass through the lacrimal of a tubule begin.

The lacrimal film has three layers – outside, average and horn-shaped (near a cornea). The center the thickest also cosecretes the lacrimal glands.

The lower part of the lacrimal gland is located under an upper eyelid in subaponeurotic space. This lower part consists of 25-30 connecting segments which channels pass in the main gland.

From a conjunctiva of the lacrimal gland a palpebral part which is located in an upper eyelid separates and it can be seen through a conjunctiva.

Functions of the lacrimal gland

The lacrimal gland performs several main protective and nutritious functions:

• tears promote intake of useful substances in a cornea;
• tears clear an eye of foreign objects, dust and various pollution;
• tears help to eliminate "a syndrome of dry eyes" which arises from tension of eyes, fatigue and strong visual loadings;
• useful substances – potassium, chlorine, organic acids, proteins and carbohydrates, lipids and a lysozyme are a part of the lacrimal liquid.

Often tears are manifestation of positive or negative emotions, but their allocation always exerts positive impact on the general emotional and mental condition of the person.

Anomalies in development of the lacrimal gland

Pre-natal injuries are the main reason for anomalies of slezootvodyashchy system. Often the ophthalmologist at survey of an eye of the baby can find several lacrimal openings on a lower eyelid which open as a tubule and a dacryocyst. One more most widespread anomaly is the shift of the lacrimal openings and obstruction of the lacrimal gland.

Such congenital anomalies demand holding special ophthalmologic procedures. At emergence of impassability of the nasolacrimal channel at newborns it is better not to perform operations as within several weeks there is its spontaneous opening.

There are several types of an arrangement of the nasolacrimal channel at anomalies of its development. Options of an arrangement depend on type of the lacrimal channel, changes of a wall of a nose and the nasal course.

Diseases of the lacrimal gland

Diseases of the lacrimal gland can cause damages to the lacrimal device, including output channels and slezootvodyashchy ways.

Treat such diseases:

• the dacryadenitis is an inflammation of the lacrimal gland;
• the epiphora represents excessive or insufficient release of the lacrimal liquid;
• the dacryostenosis leads to obstruction of the lacrimal gland and an inflammation of slezootvodyashchy ways.

Inborn pathologies, inflammatory and infectious diseases, injuries and tumors are the reasons of diseases.

The inflammation of the lacrimal gland develops against the background of a partita or other infectious disease, including pneumonia, flu, typhus and scarlet fever. The inflammation of the lacrimal gland in a severe form is caused by blood diseases, syphilis and tuberculosis. Symptoms of an inflammation are the increased body temperature, a headache, weakness, a swelling of a century, an inflammation of a mucous membrane of an eye.

At obstruction of the lacrimal gland lymphatic bonds increase, and pain becomes acute and extends to whisky. Antibiotics, aminoglycosides and analgetics are a part of drug treatment of the lacrimal gland. At severe hypostases antiallergic drugs (tavegil, cythrene, etc.) are appointed.

At long narrowing of the lacrimal channel there can be a protrusion of an upper corner of a palpebral fissure and developing of dropsy of an eye bag. Therefore process of non-invasive treatment of the lacrimal gland should not be dragged out if it does not yield essential result. The delay in carrying out operation can lead to serious complications.

Inborn diseases of the lacrimal gland are the hypoplasia, an aplasia and a hypertrophy. These diseases can be caused by anomalies of development, infectious diseases and damages of nerves.

The main to diseases of slezootvodyashchy ways is the dacryocystitis and a canaliculitis. The dacryocystitis occurs at newborns and represents a dacryocyst inflammation. In the presence of these diseases to recover normal functioning of the lacrimal device, operational treatment of the lacrimal gland and slezootvodyashchy ways is carried out.