It’s a common annoyance – the persistent, bothersome watering of your eyes. While occasional tearing is normal, especially in response to irritants like smoke or cold wind, constantly watery eyes can be disruptive and raise concerns. Understanding why your eyes are constantly watering is the first step to finding relief and addressing any potential underlying issues.
Common Causes of Constant Watering Eyes
Experiencing watery eyes from time to time is usually nothing to worry about. Our eyes naturally produce tears to keep the surface moist and wash away irritants. However, when this becomes constant, several factors could be at play.
Environmental and Irritant Factors:
Just like the original article mentions, exposure to smoky environments, cold air, or wind can trigger tear production. This is a normal protective reflex. Similarly, if something gets into your eye, like dust, an eyelash, or a speck of grit, your eyes will water to flush it out. These are usually temporary and resolve once the irritant is removed or the environment changes.
Allergies and Infections:
Allergies, whether seasonal or year-round, are a frequent culprit behind constantly watering eyes. When your eyes come into contact with allergens like pollen, pet dander, or dust mites, they can become itchy, red, and watery. Eye infections such as conjunctivitis (pink eye), can also lead to excessive tearing, often accompanied by redness, pain, and discharge.
Underlying Medical Conditions Contributing to Watery Eyes:
Beyond simple irritants, persistent watery eyes can sometimes signal an underlying medical condition that needs attention.
- Blocked Tear Ducts: Tears drain away from the eye through small tubes called tear ducts. If these ducts become blocked, tears can’t drain properly, leading to a buildup and overflow, resulting in watery eyes.
- Paradoxical Dry Eyes: It might sound counterintuitive, but dry eyes can actually cause excessive tearing. When your eyes don’t produce enough quality tears to keep them adequately lubricated, they can overcompensate by producing reflex tears. These reflex tears are often watery and don’t provide the necessary lubrication, leading to a cycle of dryness and tearing.
- Eyelid Problems: Conditions like ectropion, where the eyelid turns outward, or other eyelid issues that prevent the eyelid from properly closing, can disrupt tear drainage and lead to watery eyes.
- Bell’s Palsy: This condition, causing temporary weakness or paralysis of facial muscles, can affect eyelid closure and tear drainage, resulting in watery eyes on the affected side.
- Medications and Cancer Treatments: Certain medications and cancer treatments can have side effects that include watery eyes. It’s always worth discussing any new or persistent symptoms with your doctor, especially when starting new medications.
When to Seek Professional Help for Constant Watering Eyes
While many cases of watery eyes are temporary and resolve on their own or with simple home care, it’s important to know when to seek professional medical advice.
Non-Urgent Advice: Consult a healthcare professional, such as a General Practitioner (GP) or optician, if:
- Watering Eyes Interfere with Daily Life: If your constantly watering eyes are impacting your ability to read, work, drive, or engage in other everyday activities, it’s time to seek help.
- Eyelid Abnormalities: If you notice your eyelid turning inwards or drooping away from your eye, this could be contributing to the problem and requires evaluation.
- Lumps or Swellings: Any new lumps or swellings around your eyes that don’t improve with over-the-counter treatments should be checked by a doctor.
Urgent Advice: Seek immediate medical attention by contacting emergency services or visiting the nearest emergency room if you experience:
- Vision Changes: Any sudden changes in your vision, such as blurred vision, double vision, or loss of vision, along with watery eyes, are a cause for urgent concern.
- Severe Eye Pain: Intense eye pain accompanied by watery eyes could indicate a serious eye condition requiring immediate treatment.
You can also seek advice from NHS 111 online or by phone for guidance on urgent situations.
Finding Relief for Constantly Watering Eyes
The approach to treating constantly watering eyes depends entirely on the underlying cause.
Self-Care and Over-the-Counter Remedies:
For mild cases, especially those related to environmental irritants or allergies, simple self-care measures and over-the-counter (OTC) products can provide relief.
- Eye Hygiene: Keeping your eyes clean is crucial. Gently clean the eye area with a clean, warm cloth to remove any debris or discharge.
- Artificial Tears: Over-the-counter artificial tears can help lubricate the eyes, especially in cases of dry eyes or mild irritation.
- Allergy Medications: If allergies are suspected, OTC antihistamine eye drops or oral antihistamines can help reduce allergic reactions and associated tearing.
Professional Medical Treatments:
If self-care measures and OTC remedies are not sufficient, or if an underlying medical condition is identified, your doctor or eye specialist may recommend specific treatments.
- Prescription Eye Drops: For dry eyes, prescription eye drops, gels, or ointments can provide more intensive lubrication and address underlying inflammation. Antibiotic eye drops are prescribed for bacterial eye infections like conjunctivitis.
- Allergy Management: Prescription allergy medications or allergy shots (immunotherapy) may be recommended for persistent and severe allergies affecting the eyes.
- Foreign Body Removal: If a foreign object is causing the watering, a doctor can safely remove it.
- Surgical Intervention: In cases of blocked tear ducts or eyelid problems, a minor surgical procedure might be necessary to correct the issue and restore proper tear drainage.
If your GP is unable to determine the cause of your constantly watering eyes, they may refer you to an eye specialist (ophthalmologist) for further evaluation and specialized testing. Don’t hesitate to seek medical advice to find the root cause and effective solutions for your persistent watery eyes.
