[Tearing in a patient with glaucoma]

Lacrimal secretion analysis in glaucoma patients shows several changes depending on the kind of local treatment. The study shows: a. timolol induces: decreasing of the lacrimal secretion (Schirmer's test), decreasing of the basic lacrimal secretion (between 10-25%), the change of the stability and composition of the tears (tear film break-up time is reduced); b. pilocarpine induces: lacrimal puncta occlusion, increased lacrimal secretion, orbicular spasms and palpebral myoclonias. All this changes justify the careful follow-up of the glaucoma patients, specially of the patients of full age, in which normally appear a decrease of lacrimal secretions and of the patients using beta blockers, neuroleptics and other drugs with a known effect of decreasing lacrimal secretion.