There is a scientific reason why onions make people cry.
When an onion gets cut, sliced, or bitten, the chemicals and enzymes on its body spread to create an irritating gas that can penetrate the eyes. It travels fast, especially at normal room temperature, through the air. Upon reaching your eyes, the pain receptors in your eyes and those on your nose are activated. Eventually, your tear glands, or lacrimal glands, will move into action to wash away the irritation that penetrates your eyes. Syn-propanethial-S-oxide is the tear-causing molecule found in onions. This molecule is not visible to the naked eye, but it has effects that last for a few minutes.
Your hands are the first things you must wash when you notice your eyes start to burn. You use them to touch the onion, so the concentration of irritants is highest in them. After washing, grab a paper towel and blot your eyes. It is a good habit to keep artificial tears handy so that in situations like this, you no longer have to run to the drugstore to buy one. Use preservative-free artificial tears to moisturize your eyes after blowing them with a paper towel.
A regular eye examination at an optometry center Oxnard, CA is a proactive way to care for your sense of sight.
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