Teary eyes occur frequently due to a variety of reasons
including allergies and/or infection. This condition can be treated efficiently
and generally easily, depending on the contributing cause.
Teary eyes, or in medical terms epiphora, are a common eye
affliction that has different treatments according to the cause. Tears are an
important part of people’s lacrimal drainage system (the lacrimal gland is the
part of the body that produces tears). Blinking causes the system to produce a
liquid that is made of water and salt, which then spreads over the eyes and
keeps them moist. It also prevents dust and debris from building up in the eye.
If your tear ducts are producing too many tears, you may notice watery eyes. Infants
in particular often have teary eyes because their tear ducts have not fully
developed.
Most causes of teary eyes are related to allergies. Millions
of people worldwide suffer from seasonal or situational allergies, with the
number increasing each year. Those afflicted will often have symptoms of
congestion, sneezing, and a runny nose in addition to watery, itchy eyes. If
you have this form of watery eyes, there are a few things you can do. You’ll
want to limit your exposure to the allergen as much as possible, use high
quality air filters and furnace filters, wear wraparound sunglasses when you go
outside to protect your eyes, and use contacts as little as possible. You can
also use over the counter eye drops and allergy medication. If the symptoms are
severe or the methods you’ve used have failed, your eye doctor may prescribe a
stronger drug for relief.
Other causes of epiphora include blocked tear ducts,
infection, dust, wind, and injury. If the explanation for your watery eyes is
blocked tear ducts, a fairly easy and common solution is to place a warm, wet
cloth over your eye several times during the day. (This can help alleviate the
symptoms of teary eyes whatever the cause.)Symptoms may then go away without
any further intervention. If they don’t, your doctor can do a drainage
procedure or related surgery to fix the issue. They can also repair conditions
such as improper eyelid positions with minor surgery. Teary eyes caused by an
infection, such as bacterial conjunctivitis, can be treated with antibiotics,
whether in eye drop or ointment form.
Although in most cases this condition will clear up within
hours or days, the specific time will differ depending on the treatment chosen.
Teary eyes can usually be taken care of easily, but if you have symptoms such
as pain, excess discharge, nose or sinus tenderness, or extended periods of
symptoms, you’ll want to contact your doctor immediately. To learn more about eye
health in El Cajon please visit this website.