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Watery eyes
Epiphora; Tearing - increased
Watery eyes means you have too many tears draining from the eyes. Tears help keep the surface of the eye moist. They wash away particles and foreign objects in the eye.
Causes
Your eyes are always making tears. These tears leave the eye through a small hole in the corner of the eye called the tear duct.
Causes of watery eyes include:
- Allergy to mold, dander, dust
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Blepharitis
(swelling along the edge of the eyelid)
Blepharitis
Blepharitis is inflamed, irritated, itchy, and reddened eyelids. It most often occurs where the eyelashes grow. Dandruff-like debris builds up at t...
ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article - Blockage of the tear duct
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Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis
The conjunctiva is a clear layer of tissue lining the eyelids and covering the white of the eye. Conjunctivitis occurs when the conjunctiva becomes...
ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article - Smog or chemicals in the air or wind
- Bright light
- Eyelid turning inward or outward
- Something in the eye (such as dust or sand)
- Scrape on the eye
- Infection
- Inward-growing eyelashes
- Irritation
Increased tearing sometimes happens with:
- Eyestrain
- Laughing
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Vomiting
Vomiting
Nausea is feeling an urge to vomit. It is often called "being sick to your stomach. "Vomiting or throwing-up is forcing the contents of the stomach ...
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Yawning
Yawning
Yawning involves opening the mouth involuntarily while taking a long, deep breath of air. This is most often done when you are tired or sleepy. Exc...
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One of the most common causes of excess tearing is dry eyes . Drying causes the eyes to become uncomfortable, which stimulates the body to produce too many tears. One of the main tests for tearing is to check whether the eyes are too dry.
Dry eyes
You need tears to moisten the eyes and to wash away particles that have gotten in. A healthy tear film on the eye is necessary for good vision. Dry...
Home Care
Treatment depends on the cause of the problem. Therefore, it is important to determine the cause before treating yourself at home.
When to Contact a Medical Professional
Tearing is rarely an emergency. You should seek help right away if:
- Chemicals get into the eye
- You have severe pain, bleeding, or loss of vision
- You have a severe injury to the eye
Also, contact your health care provider if you have:
- A scratch on the eye
- Something in the eye
- Painful, red eyes
- A lot of discharge coming from the eye
- Long-term, unexplained tearing
- Tenderness around the nose or sinuses
What to Expect at Your Office Visit
The provider will examine your eyes and ask questions about your medical history and symptoms. Questions may include:
- When did the tearing start?
- How often does it happen?
- Does it affect both eyes?
- Do you have vision problems?
- Do you wear contacts or glasses?
- Does the tearing happen after an emotional or stressful event?
- Do you have eye pain or other symptoms, including headache, stuffy or runny nose, or joint or muscle aches?
- What medicines do you take?
- Do you have allergies?
- Did you recently hurt your eye?
- What seems to help stop the tearing?
Your provider may order tests to help determine the cause.
Treatment depends on the cause of the problem.
References
Hurwitz JJ. The lacrimal drainage system. In: Yanoff M, Duker JS, eds. Ophthalmology . 4th ed. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Saunders; 2014:ch 12.15.
Olitsky SE, Hug D, Plummer LS, Stahl ED, et al. Disorders of the lacrimal system. In: Kliegman RM, Stanton BF, St Geme JW, Schor NF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics . 20th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016:chap 625.
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External and internal eye anatomy - illustration
The cornea allows light to enter the eye. As light passes through the eye the iris changes shape by expanding and letting more light through or constricting and letting less light through to change pupil size. The lens then changes shape to allow the accurate focusing of light on the retina. Light excites photoreceptors that eventually, through a chemical process, transmit nerve signals through the optic nerve to the brain. The brain processes these nerve impulses into sight.
External and internal eye anatomy
illustration
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External and internal eye anatomy - illustration
The cornea allows light to enter the eye. As light passes through the eye the iris changes shape by expanding and letting more light through or constricting and letting less light through to change pupil size. The lens then changes shape to allow the accurate focusing of light on the retina. Light excites photoreceptors that eventually, through a chemical process, transmit nerve signals through the optic nerve to the brain. The brain processes these nerve impulses into sight.
External and internal eye anatomy
illustration
Review Date: 11/19/2015
Reviewed By: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
