A 19-year-old male asked:
this is just a bit of a wierd quirk i wanna find out, if i hold my nose closed and try to blow through it air whistles out around my eyes... why?
2 doctor answers
Dr. Richard Bensinger answered
52 years experience Ophthalmology
Lacrimal tubes: The eye drains into the nose excess tears. There is a plumbing system that does this. It is generally one way but in some air or fluid can be blown or squirted into the eyes by backwards flow. This is sometimes a circus act trick by those who can do this using milk or some other obvious fluid. You have learned to do it with air.
Answered on Sep 25, 2014
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1 thank
Dr. Jon Fishburn answered
30 years experience Ophthalmology
Incompetent valve: Your nasal lacrimal duct (NLD) system (that which drains tears into your nose) has one-way valves so that tears only flow into the nose. Some people's valves are incompetent and blowing the nose causes pressure-induced back flow of "snot" or air back into the eye(s). If you had a procedure to dilate the NLD system in the past, this may have violated the valvular mechanism.
Answered on Oct 23, 2017
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A 21-year-old female asked:
Dr. Allen Kamrava answered
15 years experience Colon and Rectal Surgery
All connected: Ears, nose and throat have connections to eachother. Pressure, fluid and air is transmitted freely between them.
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A male asked:
Dr. Alma Murphy answered
46 years experience Ophthalmology
While : While your friends may find this entertaining, there are some disadvantages to what you are doing. You may inadvertently plug the tear-drainage duct ... Read More
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A 23-year-old male asked:
A Verified Doctor answered
A US doctor answered Learn more
See an expert: This sounds like air or inflammation of your tear duct ( nasolacrimal duct )- see an ophthalmologist ASAP.
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1 thank
A 50-year-old female asked:
Dr. Julan Crane answered
25 years experience Pediatrics
Blocked tear duct: Unless your eye is watery all the time nothing to worry about
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