Why do my eyes water?

Watery eyes is a very common symptom for patients. There are a few different causes of watery eyes, from dry eye, allergies to clogged tear ducts.

Dry eyes is one of the more common causes of watery eyes. It may sound counterintuitive that the eyes are watery yet they are dry. This is because the eyes are attempting to compensate for the dryness by producing more tears but the tear production is throwing off the balance required to have good stable tears. This is best diagnosed and treated by your eye doctor but a common starting point is with artificial tears. Artificial tears help supplement the tear film and hydrate the eye to help restore the natural balance back.

Allergies are a common cause of watery and itchy eyes. This is increased typically in the spring and fall months. Allergies can be treated with artificial tears to wash the allergens away but when not sufficient enough you may require an anti-allergy drop prescribed by your eye doctor.

A clogged tear duct is the drainage system that helps remove tears off of the eye to allow new tears to take their place. If a drain is clogged you will have more tears on the eyes which causes them to overflow and water down your cheek.

Which one of these is causing your watery eyes? It is always best to see your eye care provider so you can have specific treatment for your watery eyes.