Watering eye, likewise called epiphora or tearing, is a condition in which there is an overflow of tears onto the face, often without a clear explanation. There is inadequate tear film drainage from the eye(s) – rather of all the tears draining through the nasolacrimal system, they overflow onto the face.
Tears are needed to keep the front surface of the eye healthy and preserve clear vision. A lot of tears can make it challenging to see, however.
Epiphora can develop at any age. It is, however, more common among babies aged under 12 months, and adults over the age of 60 years. The condition may provide symptoms in simply one or both eyes.
For the most parts watery eye can be treated successfully. Depending upon the seriousness of symptoms, watery eye can sometimes make having challenging and hazardous.
What Causes Watery Eyes?
There are two primary causes of watery eyes – blocked tear ducts or extreme production of tears. Let’s take a look at each of these in turn.
1) Blocked tear ducts
Some people are born with underdeveloped tear ducts. It is not unusual for newborns to have watery eyes. Normally, this issue goes away within a few weeks as the ducts establish.
The most typical reason for watery eyes amongst adults and older children is obstructed ducts, or ducts that are too narrow. Narrowed tear ducts generally become so as a result of swelling (inflammation).
If a patient’s tear ducts are narrowed or obstructed their tears will not have the ability to recede and will build up in the tear sac. Stagnant tears in the tear sac increase the risk of infection because area and the eye will produce a sticky liquid, more intensifying the issue. Infection can likewise cause inflammation on the side of the nose, next to the eye.
Narrow drainage channels on the within the eyes (canaliculi) can become blocked. This is triggered by swelling or scarring.
2) Over-production of tears
Inflamed eyes might produce more tears than normal as the body attempts to rinse the irritant away.
The following irritants can cause the over-production of tears:
- Some chemicals, such as fumes, as well as onions
- Infective conjunctivitis
- Allergic conjunctivitis
- An injury to the eye, such as a scratch or a little bit of grit (tiny pebble or piece of dirt).
- Trichiasis – inward-growing eyelashes, frequently caused by minimal entropion (the eye lid kips down at the edges to the eye).
- Ectropion – this is when the lower eyelid turns outwards.
The tears of some patients have a high fat (lipid) content. This might disrupt the even spread out of liquid throughout the eye, leaving dry spots which become sore, inflamed and cause the eye to produce more tears.
3) Other causes
There are many causes of watery eyes. The following conditions among others can likewise cause an overflow of tears:
- Keratitis, an infection of the cornea.
- Corneal ulcer, an open sore that types on the eye.
- Styes or chalazions, swellings 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 particular medications.
Watery Eyes Diagnosis
Epiphora is a relatively simple condition for a GP (general practitioner, primary care physician), or any doctor to identify. The doctor will try to find out whether it has been triggered by a lesion, infection, entropion (inward-turning eyelid) or ectropion (outward-turning eyelid).
If the GP can not plainly figure out the cause of the watery eye, the patient may be described an eye-care professional doctor (ophthalmologist). The specialist will analyze the patient’s eye( s) carefully – typically, the patient will be anesthetized.
A probe may be inserted into the narrow drainage channels on the inside of the eye (canaliculi) to see whether they are obstructed.
Liquid may be placed into a tear duct to find out whether it comes out of the patient’s nose. If it is discovered to be obstructed, a color might be injected to discover the specific area of the blockage – this will be done by using an X-ray image of the area. The color shows up on the X-ray.
Watery Eyes Treatments
Treatment alternatives depend upon the seriousness of the epiphora and its causes. In mild cases doctors may suggest just careful waiting – not doing anything and keeping an eye on the patient’s progress.
Various causes of watery eyes have particular treatment choices:.
- Irritation: If the watery eye is brought on by infective conjunctivitis the doctor may prefer to await a week approximately to see if the problem fixes itself without antibiotics.
- Trichiasis: An inward-growing eyelash, or some foreign things that lodged in the eye, the doctor will remove it.
- Ectropion: The eyelid turns outwards – the patient might need to go through surgery in which the tendon that holds the outer eyelid in location is tightened.
- Blocked tear ducts: Surgery which creates a brand-new channel from the tear sac to the inside of the nose might be necessary. This permits the tears to bypass the obstructed part of the tear duct. This surgery is called DCR (dacryocystorhinostomy).
If the drainage channels on the within the eye (canaliculi) are narrowed, but not totally blocked, the doctor might use a probe to make them larger. When the canaliculi are totally obstructed an operation might be required.
How to Stop Watery Eyes?
There are three possible reasons that your eye is streaming. First, your body might simply be producing too many tears.
This is typically because the front surface area of the eye is irritated due to an ulcer or infection. It’s not constantly easy to spot, but it can be treated with antibiotic drops.
However, a lot more likely is a problem with the eye’s drainage system, brought on by an obstruction in the punctum. This is the plughole through which tears drain pipes off from the front of the eye.
Each eye has a punctum in the upper cover and one in the lower cover, at the corner of your eye nearby your nose. You can quickly see the inner punctum if you look carefully in a mirror.
An obstruction can occur as a result of a cold or mild infection – the hole gets obstructed with gunge. It can easily be figured out by an eye expert under a local anaesthetic – he will penetrate the punctum and clear it out.
Alternatively, the pipework from the punctum might be blocked – once again, possibly with mucus – or it might be that the punctum is not properly attached to the eyeball.
This prevails in older people, when the eyelid sags (typically due to extending of the tissues, which lose elasticity as you age). As a result, the punctum no longer reaches to the surface area of the eye, so it can’t drain away the tears.
Cold and windy weather condition always makes eyes watery due to the fact that it irritates the front of the eye, driving the glands that make tears into overdrive.
But if the drain system is blocked, the tears will overflow down your face, as they do when you sob typically – even a wellfunctioning drainage system cannot manage that numerous tears. Nevertheless, in a warm room, the tears may evaporate completely.
For only one eye being impacted, this is merely due to the fact that the punctum on the other eye isn’t really clogged up.
There’s a myth that patients with excessively watery eyes have an irregular tear film – the front, wet surface area of the eye – and that lubing eye drops used for those with dry eyes will alleviate the symptom.
I suspect this is why your GP recommended them, however as you have discovered, they have not reduced your symptom, but made it even worse. Having spoken to ophthalmology associates, along with examining the best literature I can discover, I’ve discovered no assistance for this concept.
You need to tactfully ask your GP for a recommendation to an eye doctor. Your eye needs expert assessment for an accurate diagnosis prior to it can be dealt with.
Watery Eyes (Epiphora) in Babies
In the bulk of cases the condition resolves itself on its own within a few weeks. Often a sticky liquid might form around the baby’s eye(s). In such cases, using a piece of cotton wool that has been soaked in sterilized water can be used to clean the eye(s). Sterile water needs to be boiled – make certain it is cooled before dipping the cotton wool into it.
Sometimes tears can be dislodged if you gently massage the tear ducts. Apply light pressure with the finger and thumb to the outside of the baby’s nose.
