All of us get watery eyes sometimes. Think of the last time you teared up from a hysterical joke or a sentimental movie scene. But some of us are plagued by eyes that spring a leak at the most unexpected moments for seemingly no apparent reason.
Our eyes are designed with a built-in lubrication system for moistening our cornea (the transparent surface that protects the internal eye structures and filters light so we can see). Our eyelids have special glands that produce tears containing three different components that act together to keep our corneas from drying out.
Our tears are made up of three layers that contain fatty oils, water, and mucus with over 1500 proteins. Each time we blink, this mixture is spread across our corneas allowing us to focus clearly. Think about whenever you’ve kept your eyes open too long staring at an object and your vision became blurry. Lack of tears is the cause of that temporary blurriness.
Excessive tearing is usually due to a flow imbalance
Tear producing glands located within our eyelids (the lacrimal glands) release tear fluid that spreads across our eyes whenever we blink. Any excess tears usually drain away from the surface of the eye via one of four tear ducts (known as puncta) that are those little tiny holes located at the inner corners of your upper and lower eyelid rims. This system is responsible for maintaining the delicate balance between tear production and tear drainage.
Occasionally, this system can malfunction in one of two ways, resulting in excessive tearing: either through the overproduction of tears or through insufficient drainage of tears, whether due to blocked tear ducts or some other reason. When this equilibrium is upset, you end up with excess tears.
Common causes of watery eyes include:
1. Being in a dry environment
Ever notice how dry your skin gets when you’re in a dry environment? Well, the same thing happens to your eyes. And this prompts your tear glands to produce and release more tears in what’s known as reflex tearing. One way to counteract a dry environment is by getting a humidifier and avoiding sitting near fans blowing hot or cold air.
2. Staring too long at your computer screen
Focusing on screens of any electronic devices reduces your blink rate and this can lead to dry eyes and prompt reflex tearing. To avoid this, we recommend following the 20-20-20 rule when working with screen devices: every 20 minutes, focus on an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This simple action will give your eyes a rest, make you blink more, and lubricate your tired eyeballs. Pretty easy! You should also set your computer screen below eye level so you can avoid looking up and opening your eyes wider to see your screen, causing even more tear evaporation and dryness.
3. Wearing Contact Lenses
Contacts are essentially a plastic shield that floats on your tear film to focus light that enters your eye. Because of this, when you wear your contact lenses for prolonged periods of time, this can accelerate tear evaporation, causing dryness and a pinching sensation. This will prompt your tear glands into overdrive, which can result in watery eyes.
If this is happening to you, you might consider decreasing your contact wearing hours or, if it’s a continual problem, you might consider LASIK vision correction to rid yourself of contact wear-related problems altogether.
4. Getting makeup in your eyes
How you apply your makeup and the kind of makeup you use can cause excess tearing. For example, lash building mascaras have built-in fibers that can flake off and get into your eyes, causing irritation. Also, some people apply eyeliner on the inside margin of their eyelashes near their eyeball (the waterline) in a practice known as tightlining.
The problem with tightlining is that it is applied where special glands (the Meibomian glands) release a thin layer of oil that mixes with our tears to keep them from evaporating too quickly. Putting eyeliner on top of where this oil comes out, causes makeup to be introduced into your tear film every time you blink.
This can cause irritation and tearing as your eye tries to flush out the makeup. And, in a worst-case scenario, tightlining can introduce bacteria from your eyeliner tube into your eyes and cause a serious infection. That’s why we advise against tightlining.
5. Having clogged Meibomian glands
Since Meibomian glands located inside your eyelids release oil along the watermark (the eyelid margin between your lashes and eyeball), anything that blocks these glands from releasing oil into your tear film will cause your eyes to dry out quickly and promote reflex tearing. This can be seen with inflammatory conditions like blepharitis (eyelid swelling), conjunctivitis or rosacea, and with eye infections caused by viruses (like herpes), cellulitis, or bacteria.
6. Having an allergic reaction to something in the air
Your eyes are exposed to the environment at all times, so when they come into contact with an airborne substance that you are allergic to, this can prompt your body to react by releasing histamines (chemicals that combat the allergen). Your eyes will begin watering with histamine filled tears to fight the irritant that’s invaded your system.
If you’re plagued by itchy eyes as a result of seasonal allergies, contact us to schedule a comprehensive eye exam with one of our eye care providers to identify your allergens and propose an effective treatment for addressing your allergy symptoms.
7. Having chronically dry eyes
While it sounds contradictory to say that having a dry eye problem can be the cause of excessive tearing, hear me out. When our eyes get dried out and we experience symptoms such as stinging, burning, eye fatigue, blurred vision or light sensitivity, our body goes into defense mode and cranks up tear production. This reflex tearing is a self-preservation mechanism that the body deploys to keep the corneas from getting abrasions or ulcers as a result of excess dryness.
If you’re experiencing frequent dry eye symptoms and find yourself relying on over-the-counter artificial tears to get relief, schedule a visit with one of our doctors to identify the underlying cause and propose an effective solution.
8. Being unable to completely close your eyelid
There are some medical conditions that result in problems closely your eyelids completely. Sleep apnea occurs when you stop breathing or take shallow breaths occasionally during sleep, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Apart from causing snoring, excessive sleepiness and a host of other health conditions, sleep apnea can also cause incomplete eyelid closure leading to dry eyes.
Sleep apnea can negatively affect your eyes
If you’re one of the unlucky sufferers with sleep apnea, you might have a related condition known as floppy eyelid syndrome in which your upper eyelids are more pliable than usual, causing them to flop open during sleep, and making your eyes dry out. This then triggers reflex tearing which you may notice on your cheek or pillow in the morning.
Obstructive sleep apnea is treatable through a number of means, depending on its severity. These can range from lifestyle changes (like adjusting your sleeping posture in bed), wearing various devices to keep your airways open, and in extreme cases, surgery.
Apart from dry eyes, sleep apnea is linked to other concerning health conditions such as high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, obesity, and diabetes. For this reason, you need to follow up with your primary care provider for medical advice if you suspect you might have sleep apnea.
Another condition linked to incomplete eyelid closure is a temporary facial paralysis condition known as Bell’s Palsy. This condition is often associated with dry eye problems that can lead to corneal ulcers and serious eye injury if left untreated.
When to see an eye doctor for excessive tearing
Bottom line: if your eyes have been tearing frequently for no apparent reason for more than a few days, you need to see an eye doctor. You should seek urgent follow up if the tearing is constant, if you’re experiencing eye pain, blurred vision, light sensitivity or new onset vision changes. These can be signs of a more urgent problem that can’t wait.
Your eyes are wondrous and resilient organs but they’re also delicate. For that reason, if you think that something is wrong with your eyes, don’t delay in contacting your eye doctor to get to the bottom of things. When it comes to preserving your eye health, time can be of the essence.
Why choose Assil Gaur Eye Institute for your eye care?
The eye care professional team of ophthalmologists and optometrists at Assil Gaur Eye Institute (AGEI) offer world class eye care treating dry eye conditions, cataracts, glaucoma, LASIK and laser eye correction as well as a wide variety of cornea and retinal conditions.
At AGEI, you will experience a state-of-the-art health care facility that brings together revolutionary technologies with experienced vision care professionals. Our goal is to help you achieve your personal best vision.
Please call 866-945-2745 or visit us here to make an appointment online. If you are experiencing any concerning symptoms, contact us immediately to determine the best time to schedule an exam.
At Assil Gaur Eye Institute we take our patients’ safety seriously. Our facility’s Covid-19 patient safety procedures exceed all CDC recommendations. Masks are required in our institutes at all times.
We are conveniently located for patients throughout Southern California and the Los Angeles area at locations in or near Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, West Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Culver City, Hollywood, Venice, Marina del Rey, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, and Downtown Los Angeles, to name a few.
After college he earned his Doctorate of Optometry from the State University of New York, completing clinical rotations at Montefiore Medical Center and the West Haven VA Medical Center. Subsequently he finished a residency in primary eye care and geriatric optometry at the West Los Angeles VA Healthcare Center.
Dr. May has previously lectured on advances in refractive surgery as an invited speaker and served as a consultant for the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education. He also completed advanced studies in ocular pathology at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (previously at Walter Reed Army Medical Center). Currently he is a guest lecturer at USC College of Pharmacy.
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