Ep 12. Tremendous Tears

In the 12th episode of season 6 of Operation Ouch, named "Tremendous Tears", viewers are taken on an educational journey to explore the human body's tears and why we cry.

Hosted by twin doctors Dr. Chris and Dr. Xand van Tulleken, the episode starts with the doctors investigating different types of tears, including emotional tears, reflex tears, and basal tears. They explain how different types of tears are produced by different glands and how they perform different functions.

The episode also focuses on the purpose of crying and explores different theories about why people cry, including physical, psychological, and societal reasons. To get a better understanding of the impact that emotions have on tears, Dr. Chris and Dr. Xand host an experiment that tests emotional responses of volunteers as they reflect on their happiest and saddest memories.

Next up, the doctors delve into the science of tear proteins and how they can reveal important information about an individual's health. They demonstrate how using special equipment, including a mass spectrometer, they can read the protein composition of tears. A practical example of this is shown with patient Sarah, who has Wolf–Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS), which is a rare genetic disorder. Dr. Chris and Dr. Xand use Sarah's tears to perform tests to analyze the proteins present in her tears, which leads to valuable insights.

Moving on to the anatomy of the eye, the doctors explain how the tear production process works. They use an ophthalmoscope to examine the surface of the eye and the different muscles involved in eye movement. With the help of their high-tech mini-drone, the doctors capture incredible footage of their eyes as they fly over the doctors' faces, giving viewers the chance to see the eye surface in a way they've never seen before.

Lastly, the doctors touch on some fascinating facts related to tears, including an experiment that found tears from a certain type of crocodile have antibiotic properties that could be used to treat certain types of infection. Viewers will also learn about a rare emotional condition known as hyper empathy syndrome which causes people to cry or have intense reactions when seeing others in distress.

With its emphasis on educating viewers about the biology and science of tears, Tremendous Tears is an entertaining and informative episode that is bound to engage as viewers safely learn more about this fascinating aspect of the human body.