Tearing of the eyes is a physiological reaction usually caused by eye irritation or emotional stress.
Increased activity of the tear-producing glands causes tears to accumulate and tearing from the eyes occurs.
They can cause eye-tearing, for example:
Eye irritation: dust, smoke, wind or chemicals can get into the eyes and cause irritation, and eye tearing may be a form of eye cleaning.
Emotional reactions: sadness, laughter, stress or any other emotional state can trigger tear production. The nervous system and emotions are closely linked to tear production.
Physiological changes: for example, strong wind or cold weather can also trigger eye tearing as the body reacts to environmental conditions.
Eye problems: certain eye problems such as dry eye syndrome or eyelid problems can also lead to an increase in tear production.
Tearing of the eyes is not usually a serious health problem and usually goes away once the underlying cause has disappeared.
Treatment of eye tearing depends on what is causing it.
Usually the treatment aims to eliminate or alleviate the underlying cause.
Use eye drops: if dry eyes are the cause of watery eyes, moisturising eye drops can help to relieve the symptoms. These drops replenish the eyes’ natural tear film and help prevent eye irritation.
Allergy medicines: if allergies are causing the eye tearing, taking antihistamines or other allergy medicines can help reduce symptoms.
Eye hygiene: eye hygiene can be important in the management of eye tearing. For example, if the eye tearing is caused by eyelid inflammation or other eye hygiene problems, it may be important to keep the eye area around the eyes clean.
Environmental changes: if eye tearing is caused by environmental factors such as wind or dust, you may need to wear eye protection such as glasses or eye patches.
Lifestyle changes:Certain lifestyle changes can also help reduce eye tearing, such as not smoking, staying properly hydrated and eating a healthy diet.
It is important to note that before treating eye tearing, it may be important to have a thorough medical examination so that the doctor can determine the exact cause and develop an appropriate treatment plan.
