Excessive Tearing

What is excessive tearing?

Excessive tearing is a condition in which tears spill out of your eyes even though you are not crying. Excessive tearing is also called watering eye or epiphora.

How does it occur?

Tears normally drain into small holes in the inner corner of the upper and lower eyelids (the puncta) through a drainage system into the nose. When there is too much tearing for this system to handle or not enough drainage, tears can spill over. There are many possible causes for too much tearing. They include:

• Reflex tearing: Irritation of the eye surface for any reason can cause excess tear production. Dry eye syndrome is the most common cause of excessive tearing. It happens when the normal, lubricating tears that keep your eye moist are too few or dry out too quickly. When your eye is irritated by the dryness, your eye starts making too many reflex tears. Other types of irritation, such as infection, allergies, or eyelashes rubbing against the eye, can also cause reflex tears.
• Problem with the drainage system: Scarring due to infection, certain medicines, or injury may block the drains for tears and cause an overflow.

  Some babies are born with a blockage in the drainage system. This will cause tearing and discharge for many months, but it usually gets better as children get older.

  Sometimes the eyelids are turned in such a way that the small draining holes on the eyelids do not face the right way. This can cause a tear problem as well.

How is it diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider will do a complete eye exam, looking for causes of the tears and checking the drainage system. Sometimes a special dye or shot of saline solution is put into the drainage system to check for problems.

How is it treated?

The tearing can be reduced with treatment of the underlying cause. For example, if your eye is watery because of an infection, treatment of the infection will reduce the tearing. If you have dry eye syndrome, you may need to use artificial tears (eyedrops) or warm, moist cloths (compresses) on your eyes to help keep your eyes moist. If the drainage system is blocked, or the position of your eyelids is causing the tearing, surgery may be needed to correct the problem.

How can I take care of myself?

You may need to use warm compresses and eyedrops for a long period of time. See your eye care provider if you have increased pain or decreased vision.