We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission Here’s our process.
Medical News Today only shows you brands and products that we stand behind.
Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we:- Evaluate ingredients and composition: Do they have the potential to cause harm?
- Fact-check all health claims: Do they align with the current body of scientific evidence?
- Assess the brand: Does it operate with integrity and adhere to industry best practices?
Watering eyes happen there is either an overproduction of tears or insufficient drainage from the eye or eyes. Often, there is no clear reason, but allergies, blocked tear ducts, and other factors can cause it.
Also known as epiphora, watering eyes causes tears to overflow onto the face. When there is too much fluid or tears are unable to drain properly through the nasolacrimal system, water overflows onto the face.
Tears are needed to keep the eye’s front surface healthy and maintain clear vision, but too many tears can make it difficult to see. This can make driving difficult and dangerous.
Epiphora can develop at any age, but it is more common in those aged under 12 months or
The two main causes of watering eyes are blocked tear ducts and the excessive production of tears.
Blocked tear ducts
Some people are born with underdeveloped tear ducts. Newborns often have watery eyes that usually clear up within a few weeks as the ducts develop.
In older children and adults, blocked tear ducts can occur in one or both eyes and may occur alongside other symptoms, such as blurred vision, swelling, crusting of the eyelids, and redness in the eyes.
In some cases, these symptoms may
The most common cause of watering eyes among adults and older children is blocked ducts or ducts that are too narrow. Narrowed tear ducts usually develop as a result of swelling or inflammation.
If the tear ducts are narrowed or blocked, tears will not drain away and will build up in the tear sac. Stagnant tears in the tear sac increase the risk of infection, and the eye will produce a sticky liquid, making the problem worse. Infection can also lead to inflammation on the side of the nose, next to the eye.
Canaliculi, narrow drainage channels on the insides of the eyes, can become blocked. This happens due to swelling or scarring.
Over-production of tears
Irritated eyes may produce more tears than normal as the body tries to rinse the irritant away.
The following irritants can cause the over-production of tears in one or both eyes:
- some chemicals, such as those in fumes and even onions
- infective conjunctivitis, or pink eye
- allergic conjunctivitis
- injury to the eye, such as a scratch or the presence of a tiny pebble or piece of dirt
- trichiasis, where eyelashes grow inward
- ectropion, when the lower eyelid turns outward
Depending on the specific cause, over-production of tears due to irritation may occur alongside symptoms like inflammation, redness, itching, blurred vision, pain, and increased sensitivity to light.
Some people also have tears with a high fat or lipid content. This may
Exposure to smoke, wind, or cold weather can also increase tear production temporarily, as can yawning, laughing, or vomiting.
Other causes
There are many causes of watering eyes. Other conditions that can lead to an overflow of tears in one or both eyes include:
- keratitis, an infection of the cornea
- corneal ulcer, an open sore that forms on the eye
- a stye or chalazion, a lump that can grow on the edge of the eyelid
- Bell’s palsy
- dry eyes
- allergies, including hay fever
- a problem with glands in the eyelids called the Meibomian glands
- use of certain medications
If the following symptoms occur, a person should contact a doctor:
- reduced vision
- pain or swelling around the eyes
- a feeling that something is in the eye
- persistent redness in the eye
- tearing and pain that a person feels first thing in the morning, which can suggest a recurrent corneal erosion, or the outer layer of the cornea wearing away
- burning and discomfort when blinking in the morning, which may be related to the eyes being too dry
Epiphora is fairly easy to diagnose. A doctor will try to determine whether the cause is a lesion, infection, entropion, or an inward-turning eyelid, or ectropion, an outward-turning eyelid.
In some cases, the patient may need to see an eye-care specialist doctor or ophthalmologist, who will examine the eyes, possibly under anesthetic.
The doctor may need to insert a probe into the narrow drainage channels inside the eye to see if they are blocked.
They may also insert a liquid into a tear duct to check whether it then comes out of the patient’s nose. If the person feels the fluid in their nose, their tear system is not blocked. If it is blocked, the liquid will move back toward the eye.