Watery eyes: It might not be just crying

Eyes water for lots of different reasons besides crying. Anything that irritates the eye can bring on tears as the eye tries to wash it out.

Tears are necessary for the normal lubrication of the eye. They nourish and protect the eye. They wash away the unwanted particles and foreign bodies from the eye.

Excessive tear production or improper drainage of the tear-duct results in watery eyes. The common causes of watery eyes can be penned down as follows:

• Allergic conjunctivitis

• Corneal infections/ulcers

• Environmental irritants

• Blockage in the tear duct

• Dry eyes

• Misdirected lashes

• Foreign bodies entering the eye

• Laxity of the lower lids

Inward growing eyelashes and foreign bodies entering the eye cause mechanical irritation leading to watery eyes. Whereas, environmental irritants can be dust and gases which cause allergic reaction and reflex watering of the eyes.

Ironically, one of the most common cause of watery eyes is dry eyes. Drying causes the eye to become uncomfortable which causes reflex watering.

An infection or blockage of the tear-duct can also cause excessive watering of the eyes. The blockage is a common problem in elderly patients when the tear ducts narrow or get blocked easily. The same condition is also prevalent in new born babies, as their tear ducts don’t open up at time of birth.

The infection in the tear drainage path also causes watery eyes. The proper management of the acute or chronic infection is important to avoid watering.

With aging, the lids become lax and lose the contact with the eyeball. They lead to pooling of tears in the lower lid and watering. The problem aggravates if one wipes the eye frequently in a downward direction.

However, watery eyes can be cured

• Wear protective glasses

• Avoid the known irritants

• Treat any allergy or infection in time

• Surgical management of blocked tear ducts

Excess tears may be associated with medical emergencies of the eye. However, parse tearing alone is not an acute emergency. Tearing is often a source of inconvenience or annoyance, but it can be treated more often than not.