When you produce too many tears, or when your normal tear drainage system is blocked, your eyes may get so watery that your tears can spill onto your eyelids and cheeks as though you were crying.
Is there anything you can do about it? Yes, depending on the cause.
What Are Tears?
Tears are essential for seeing clearly, says the National Eye Institute. Every time you blink, you're washing your eyes with a “tear film” that nourishes the tissue and provides necessary lubrication.
This film is produced by glands and cells located in the tissues around your eyes, and it consists of an oily layer, which helps to prevent evaporation; a watery layer; and a mucus layer, which helps the tears stick to the eye surface.
When you blink, the tear film is distributed over the surfaces of your eyes. It then either evaporates or drains into your nasolacrimal ducts, located in the inside corners of your eyes.
An abnormality in one of these four processes — tear production, distribution, evaporation, and drainage — can lead to overly dry eyes or overly wet eyes, also called epiphora.
What Causes Overproduction of Tears
Frequently, people with watery eyes are experiencing an overproduction of tears. These excess tears can be caused by a variety of causes, including the following:
Dry Eyes
While it may seem counterintuitive, one of the symptoms of dry eye disease is excess tearing, or watery eyes. Other symptoms include stinging, burning, irritation, and a gritty feeling, all of which can lead to excessive watering, according to StatPearls.
Many things can cause dry eyes, from certain medications, to environmental irritants such as cigarette smoke, to diseases of the eye or the skin around the eyes, to systemic diseases such as Sjögren’s syndrome, to extended use of computers or other digital devices.
Tear production also tends to lessen with age, per the Mayo Clinic, so dry eyes become more common in older adults.
Dry eye is treatable, though finding the underlying cause is key. Until you can do that, you can manage your symptoms by reducing screen time, avoiding environmental triggers, sleeping with a humidifier, and using artificial tears or eye drops.
If necessary, your doctor may prescribe topical or oral drugs, perform a procedure in which tiny, removable silicone plugs are inserted into your tear ducts (called punctal occlusion), or recommend special contact lenses for people with dry eyes, among other things.
Allergies
Foreign proteins that your body overreacts to are called allergens. Allergic reactions can prompt all sorts of bodily symptoms, including red, itchy, and watery eyes — which is called allergic conjunctivitis.
This symptom is often — but not always — accompanied by allergic rhinitis, which involves symptoms like sneezing, an itchy nose, and nasal congestion. Most cases are caused by either seasonal allergens like pollen or year-round offenders like mold, dander, or dust mites.
You may be able to prevent this kind of watery eye reaction by avoiding allergic triggers in your environment. If not, nonprescription antihistamine eye drops may help. And if over-the-counter allergy treatments aren’t providing enough relief, you should consult your primary care doctor or possibly an allergist.
RELATED: Itchy Eyes: Is It an Allergy, Infection, Dry Eye, or Something Else?
Infection
Part of your body's response to an eye infection can be to produce excess tears.
Conjunctivitis (inflammation of the tissue that lines the eyelids) and blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelid margins) are two infectious diseases known to cause watery eyes. (They can also have noninfectious causes.)
Pink eye is a common term for conjunctivitis, which can be bacterial, viral, or allergic. Determining the cause of a specific case is key to finding the right treatment. If it’s caused by bacteria, your doctor will likely recommend antibiotics; for viral pink eye, artificial tears and cool compresses may be recommended to minimize symptoms.
Blepharitis can be caused by bacteria, dandruff, rosacea, mites, and herpesvirus. Washing the eyes and eye area and applying warm compresses may be enough to treat blepharitis, but antibiotics may be needed to treat an infection.
Irritants
Your eyes produce excess tears in response to other types of irritation, such as an eyelash, dust, or some other foreign object in the eye. Once the object has been removed, the excessive tearing should stop.
Blocked Tear Ducts
Watery eyes may also be due to a blockage of the ducts that normally drain away tears, a condition called nasolacrimal duct obstruction.
About 6 to 20 percent of babies are born with this condition, according to StatPearls, although most cases in infants get better on their own or with conservative treatment.
Adults can develop it, too, especially middle-aged and elderly women, according to a review in Optometry.
Nasolacrimal duct obstruction in adults may be caused by infections, inflammation, tumors, traumatic injury, and other types of mechanical blockages.
According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, surgery is usually needed to treat it, although medical treatments such as antibiotics, steroids, and chemotherapy and radiation may also be used.
Eyelid Problems That Lead to Watery Eyes
Poor eyelid function can lead to watery eyes. Here’s how: For tears to spread evenly over the eyes and be pushed to the corners of the eye for proper drainage, the eyelids need to close correctly.
An outward turning of the eyelid margin, called ectropion, prevents the eye from closing fully, resulting in dryness and watering. Ectropion usually affects the lower eyelid, according to StatPearls.
It is usually seen in older people, who gradually lose elasticity in their skin, though excess eye rubbing and eyelid pulling can worsen it.
Ectropion can be corrected with surgery that repositions the eyelid to its correct place.
Over-the-Counter and Home Remedies
Unless they are accompanied by eye pain or redness, excess tears are usually more of an annoyance than a serious problem. You may be able to find relief by using over-the-counter eye drops, such as:
- Lubricating Eye Drops Artificial tears can help to keep your eyes moist and will also help wash away any irritants like dust that may be causing your eyes to water.
- Antihistamine Eye Drops If allergies are making your eyes itchy and watery, antihistamine drops can help ease those symptoms. Products include ketotifen (Zaditor, Alaway, Zyrtec Itchy Eye) and olopatadine (Pataday). Antihistamine eye drops can burn or sting when placed in the eyes.
Some steps you can take to prevent dry, itchy eye irritation include:
- Remembering to blink regularly when using your computer and to take occasional breaks to look away from the screen and rest your eyes
- Resisting the urge to rub your eyes, as your hands can potentially introduce more allergens and irritants into your eyes
- Using a humidifier in your home or work environment
- Wearing sunglasses to protect your eyes from pollen, sun, and wind exposure
- Using a cold compress over your eyes to temporarily relieve discomfort
- Practicing good contact lens hygiene, including washing your hands before touching your eyes
- Drinking plenty of water, as some research has found a link between dehydration and dry eyes
When to See Your Doctor About Excessive Tearing
If your watery eyes don’t clear up with over-the-counter treatment, consider getting medical attention to see if there’s a way to make you more comfortable.
You should consult your primary care doctor or eye doctor if you are experiencing the following:
- Unexplained tearing over a long period of time
- Watery eyes that are also red and producing discharge
- Watery eyes and eye pain, which can be a sign of thyroid eye disease
- Watery eyes and sore sinuses
Your doctor will examine your eyes to determine what’s causing your symptoms and, if appropriate, perform tests on the quantity and quality of your tears and look at how your eyes drain away tears. If you have an infection, your doctor can prescribe antibiotics or, if you have dry eyes or allergies, suggest other treatments. If it appears your watery eyes are related to a systemic disease, your doctor may refer you to a specialist for further treatment.
Additional reporting by Chris Iliades.
