9 Reasons Your Eyes Are So Watery–and What to Do About It

Oil gland dysfunction

The meibomian glands are located in the eyelids and produce the oily component of tears. That oil prevents the water in our tears from evaporating. If the meibomian glands aren’t producing enough oil–or not enough of the right quality oil–you could end up with dry eyes. This may seem counterintuitive, but having dry eyes is one of the most common causes of teary eyes. Your eyes reflexively tear to compensate for dryness.

“Putting a clean, hot towel over your eyelids can help open up the oil glands,” says Rajiv Shah, MD, assistant professor of ophthalmology at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. You can also gently massage your eyelids to help increase oil production. Cleaning along the lashline with your finger or a cotton swab dipped in diluted baby shampoo might also help clear blocked openings to the oil glands, according to the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus.

Dry eyes

Even if your oil glands are working optimally, you can still have dryness that leads to excessive tearing. If the underlying cause of dry eyes isn’t addressed, the tearing will just go on and on.

Dry eye itself has multiple causes, including autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, medicines like antihistamines, and exposure to smoke or wind. Dry eyes are also more common as we age, especially in postmenopausal women.

Talk to your doctor about over-the-counter eye drops and prescription medications for dry eyes.

Blocked tear ducts

Tears are produced by the lacrimal glands, then they wash over the eye and drain out through the small holes in the corner of the eye called tear ducts. If those ducts are blocked, tears will accumulate.

Tear ducts can become blocked in adults because of an injury, an infection, inflammation, or (rarely) a tumor. Aging can also cause the tear ducts to narrow.

Blocked tear ducts are quite common in babies, especially newborns. In infants, blocked tear ducts often resolve on their own or can be helped with a special type of massage.

In adults, doctors might prescribe antibiotics if an infection could be causing blocked tear ducts and watery eyes. In some cases, doctors will go in and manually open them up. “If it doesn’t go away, we have to do surgery,” says Kim Le, MD, a pediatric ophthalmologist with the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit. Fortunately, that surgery is usually quick and simple.

Allergies

Both allergies and colds can cause your eyes to water. This is usually nothing more than a nuisance.

Limit allergy-related tearing by avoiding allergens as much as possible. Depending on your specific allergy, that could mean staying inside more during pollen season, keeping dust in the house to a minimum, or limiting time with cats and dogs. Over-the-counter eye drops along with decongestants and antihistamines can help. Consider asking your doctor about prescription-strength remedies too.

Conjunctivitis

Also called pink eye, conjunctivitis is most commonly caused by adenoviruses, pesky viruses that can cause the common cold, bronchitis, and sore throats. Teary eyes are just one pink eye symptom. You’ll likely also have itching, redness, and pain.

There’s not much by way of treatment for viral conjunctivitis, other than letting the infection run its course. A cool, wet compress over your eyes may ease some of the tearing and other symptoms. Like colds, this type of pink eye is rabidly contagious. Prevent spreading it by avoiding touching your eyes, washing your hands regularly, and cleaning pillowcases, sheets, and towels frequently.

Styes

Styes are little red bumps that grow on your eyelid or lashline and may cause tearing in the eye. Most styes are caused by bacterial infections, and they often hurt. “They’re like pimples on the eyelid,” says Bibiana Reiser, MD, assistant professor of ophthalmology at the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California and director of cornea and glaucoma services at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles.

Styes are not serious, but they are annoying. A warm compress can help speed along healing. Your doctor might need to drain a stye that sticks around for more than a few days. Whatever you do, don’t squeeze a stye yourself, since that can spread the infection.

Cornea problems

The cornea is the transparent, outermost layer of the eye. It’s the first line of defense against germs, dirt, and anything else that could get into your eyes. That makes it vulnerable.

Anything that irritates your cornea can also make your eyes water, be it a dust particle, a sore, or a scratch. You’re likely also to have redness, pain, and sensitivity to light if a cornea issue is causing your watery eyes.

Many problems with the cornea don’t need to be treated, while others may require medication or even surgery. Talk to your doctor if the irritation doesn’t go away or if you also have other symptoms.

Bell's palsy

Bell’s palsy is when some of the nerves in your face become weak or paralyzed. It can interfere with blinking or make it so your eyelids can’t close properly, which can dry your eyes out. “Blinking distributes tears,” Dr. Le says.

Experts aren’t sure what causes Bell’s palsy, but most cases go away within a few months and sometimes much sooner.

"In the meantime, lubricate your eyes with artificial tears," says Dr. Le. Avoid products that promise to “get the red out" though: The more you use those products, the more you need them, she says.

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Other eyelid problems

Even if you don’t have Bell’s palsy, you may have problems with your eyelids or eyelashes that can also dry out your eyes and then make them teary.

Eyelids that turn outward (called ectropion) or inward (called entropion) can both cause watery eyes. Artificial tears can help minimize discomfort, but these problems usually require surgery.

If just the eyelashes turn in (called trichiasis), they might rub the eyes and cause them to water.

Sometimes these eyelid problems are a natural sign of aging. As we get older, the skin of our eyelids tends to sag, which may cause tears to seep out instead of draining through the tear ducts.