# Can excessive crying cause eye problems? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 11, 2012, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-excessive-crying-cause-eye-problems/621599 "2012-05-11T11:36:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sheriru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Sheriru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sheriru)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-excessive-crying-cause-eye-problems/621599/1 "2012-05-11T11:36:31Z")
I know muscles in your eyes are used when you cry, but can crying A LOT (such as everyday) cause physical issues? If crying could possibly create a problem, then how much would you have to cry for the problems to occur? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-excessive-crying-cause-eye-problems/621599/2 "2012-05-11T11:48:46Z")
Just an anecdote but it happened to my mother when my father died. She cried so much over a period of days that the sclera of her eye got bright red and swelled up past her cornea. Seeing her eyeball bleed was one of the most disgusting things I have ever seen. ---
**Author:** ![Corcaigh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Corcaigh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corcaigh)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-excessive-crying-cause-eye-problems/621599/3 "2012-05-11T20:32:40Z")
I think it was Jodie Foster who said her eyes were badly bloodshot after repeatedly filming a scene where she was crying ---
**Author:** ![Sheriru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Sheriru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sheriru)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-excessive-crying-cause-eye-problems/621599/4 "2012-05-11T20:37:57Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Just an anecdote but it happened to my mother when my father died. She cried so much over a period of days that the sclera of her eye got bright red and swelled up past her cornea. Seeing her eyeball bleed was one of the most disgusting things I have ever seen. That can really happen? Interesting! Not the blood part but, even so, very scary! May I also ask why a human being even cries? Are we the only beings that cry due to our emotions? And how does our body react to this emotion physically? Brain cells react to sadness? ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2012, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-excessive-crying-cause-eye-problems/621599/5 "2012-05-12T19:18:01Z")
\ There, there. It’ll be okay. You can stop crying now. Here’s a popsicle. ---
**Author:** ![madrabbitwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@madrabbitwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madrabbitwoman)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2012, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-excessive-crying-cause-eye-problems/621599/6 "2012-05-12T23:08:21Z")
I’m crying pretty regularly at the moment (not all the time but several times a day) my eyes hurt. They are puffy and bloodshot. No crying blood so far. ---
**Author:** ![Sheriru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Sheriru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sheriru)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-excessive-crying-cause-eye-problems/621599/7 "2012-05-14T15:44:29Z")
> [@digs](#): > > \ > There, there. It’ll be okay. You can stop crying now. > Here’s a popsicle. :') thank you _simultaneously crying_