No more tears: How to deal with watering eyes

Look, it’s good to have a healthy cry every now and then. But if your eyes are perpetually watery, and you’re not sad, then you may have a problem. An over-production of tears can happen when your eyes are constantly trying to clear themselves of an irritant, or if they’re compensating for a lack of moisture. There could be other reasons too, read on to find out more, and how to deal with this:

Why are my eyes watering?

We need to talk about how your tears function first. Your upper eyelids contain the glands that produce tears. Every time you blink, tears are released to keep your eyes moist. These tears then either evaporate or are drained out via tear ducts. However, if your ducts get blocked, for example due to infection and inflammation, tears accumulate and cause watery eyes.

These are the most common causes of watery eyes:

• Infective or allergic conjunctivitis, which is the inflammation or infection of the outer membrane of the eyeball. The resulting irritation causes your eyes to water.
• Allergies can lead to watery eyes too. Your eyes will itch, and you might end up sneezing a lot too.
• Dry eyes are one of the more common causes of watery eyes as they lead to irritation, which triggers the over-production of tears.
• A stray eyelash can grow inward, irritating the cornea of the eye and causing your eyes to become watery
• A stye or a chalazion, both caused when an oil gland in your eyelid gets infected, can also cause your eyes to water

Watery eyes: symptoms and signs

The clear watery discharge will be continuous and will be accompanied by other symptoms, like a sharp pain, dry eyes, or swollen eyelids. At other times, you might notice a slight redness in your eyes or they might become sensitive to light. This can make it difficult for you to look at screens or take a walk outdoors during daytime.

You might also find it difficult to see clearly, as the profusion of tears will obstruct your vision, making you want to squint or rub your eyes to clear them.

Watery eyes: treatments and home remedies

Visiting an ophthalmologist is the best treatment for watery eyes. However, you can also try some of the following home remedies for temporary relief.

1. Saline water: Saline water is a simple saltwater solution that has anti-microbial properties to help alleviate eye symptoms temporarily (1). It is easily available in medical stores. Use it to rinse your for 10 minutes twice a day.
2. Warm compress: If your eyes are swollen and watery, warm compresses can come to your rescue! Apply one on your eyes for a few minutes for relief. (2)
3. Eye supplements: Eye supplements aren’t a quick-fix solution for watery eyes, but taking them consistently will strengthen your eyes and help prevent problems in the future. Setu’s Eye Max supplement contains several, healthy eye-vitamins. They protect your eyes against blue light damage, moisturises them, and reduce strain and fatigue. You can also keep your eyes healthy by doing regular eye exercises.
4. Following the right habits while looking at screens can also help prevent watery eyes. Working from home might have bumped up your screen time, so make sure to follow our WFH eye care tips

When should you call a doctor?

Some watery eyes remedies can provide relief, and your eyes might heal on their own in time. But if this isn’t happening, don’t hesitate to see a specialist and get the proper treatment for watery eyes. Your eyes are one of the most important organs of the body, so don’t take any chances with their health.

FAQs

Can I wear eye makeup when I have watery eyes?

It’s best to stay away from all eye makeup products until your eyes get better or you get a go-ahead from your doctor. Eye makeup can aggravate the symptoms of watery eyes and cause further infection and discomfort.

Are there any general precautions that can be taken when you have watery eyes?

Avoid touching or rubbing your eyes. Stay away from contact lenses if you use them and stick to your spectacles for a few days. Also avoid exposing your eyes to sunlight by wearing sunglasses when stepping out.

Do eye supplements work?

There are many supplement brands out there in the market, but not every brand is trust-worthy. Opt for a brand that tells you exactly what’s inside its supplements. Nature-based, non-habit-forming supplements are what you should look out for.