Watery Eyes: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments, And Prevention Tips

What Are Watery Eyes?

Our eyes are the most valuable gift given to us. The damage to the front part of our eyes, i.e., the cornea, is prevented by moisture, often coming from tears. Tears are produced by the lacrimal gland or tear gland. They usually evaporate and spread on the cornea when you blink. But when tears are overwhelmed in the gland, it makes the eyes watery.

Often watery eyes are a symptom of serious diseases, infections, or maybe just a sign of tiredness. Nonetheless, it is a discomfort to get along a day with blurry eyes filled with water.

Symptoms Of Watery Eyes

Even though it is easier to know when your eyes are getting teary, nothing is better than being more cautious.

Here are a few common symptoms of watery eyes, or even the onset of watery eyes:

• Blurry Vision
• Persistent Teary eyes
• Itching
• Tired eyes

Other symptoms coming along with watery eyes are:

• Pain in eyes
• Inflammation
• Redness of eyes
• Swollen eyes
• Runny Nose
• Twitching eyes

Causes Of Watery Eyes

Generally, watery eyes are beneficial since it cleans out dirt and maintains moisture for eyes. But it can be the cause of various conditions such as:

• Eye allergies
• Scratches on cornea
• Conjunctivitis
• Headaches
• Styes and Chalazion
• Blepharitis

1. Eye Allergies

Eye allergies are also called ocular allergies. They are mainly caused by airborne allergens (substances that cause allergies), such as pollens, mold, dust, etc. Ocular allergies are also on the rise due to increasing pollution.

2. Corneal Abrasion

The cornea is the transparent layer that covers the iris. Sometimes you get a substance stuck inside your eyes, and it stings even when you wash your eyes; it can be corneal abrasion. Corneal abrasion, i.e., scratch on the cornea, can be inflicted by:

• Poking your eyes with a brush, fingernail, pencils, etc
• Getting chemicals in eyes
• Rubbing your eyes too hard
• A rough particle like a grain of sand stuck inside the upper lid
• Over-wearing of contact lenses

3. Conjunctivitis

Pink eye or conjunctivitis is an infection generating the swelling on the eyes’ outer membrane. Blood vessels in your conjunctiva get inflamed, causing the red or pink color to appear within your eyes. It can be caused by:

• Bacteria or virus
• Allergens
• Chemicals

4. Headaches

Headaches are widespread among people. Some are mild, and some can be severe. There are different kinds of headaches like:

• Tension Headaches: They are the most common type of headache. The pain can be mild, unbearable, or moderate. It can be behind your eyes, on your neck, or even the head. Moreover, it can be the consequence of stress, depression, or even anxiety.
• Migraine: A migraine headache tends to recur, resulting from mild to severe pain. The pain can be described as throbbing and pulsing. It is usually triggered by light, physical activities, sounds, etc.
• Cluster headaches: Cluster headaches are mainly at one part of the head and can cause watery eyes. Cluster headaches, unlike migraines, happen regularly in episodes for weeks to months. They are generally severe in pain and thus trigger more water flow from the eyes.

5. Styes and Chalazion

Styes are red bumps formed under the base of the eyelid or eyelash. It is red and painful, which causes irritation to the eyes. Thus, our eyes turn watery. It is mainly due to bacterial infection.

Unlike Styes, Chalazion is a lump formed on the upper eyelid. The bump often happens when our eyelids’ oil glands get clogged. Initially, you might not know it is Chalazion, but with time it grows big and sometimes result in swollen eyelids.

6. Blepharitis

Blepharitis occurs in both eyes along the eyelids’ edges, unlike Styes. It is the inflammation that resulted due to the clogging of tiny oil glands present near the base of eyelashes. You can use warm compression to soothe the symptoms.

Other Causes

• Screen time: In the digital world of screen meetings, lectures, and assignments, our eyes are getting the worse impact possible. The radiation from the screen influences irritability and inflammation and makes our eyes droopy and watery.
• Sinusitis and Common cold: The tissue around the sinus lining swells up in Sinusitis. It usually causes pain on the face, T-zone, or one part of the face. There are two types of Sinusitis, namely acute and chronic.

Whichever it is, one must consult a specialist and get it fixed to avoid inconvenience in day-to-day tasks.

In the case of common-cold, take proper rest and medicines.

• COVID: Like many symptoms, watery eyes are also one of the signs of Covid-19. It is better to get yourself tested if the problem persisted for a couple of days. Since it’s a sensitive period for everyone all the world, precautions must be taken to avoid more significant damage.
• Chemicals: Soaps, creams, shampoos, or even eye drops can have substances that are too strong and rough for the eyes, promoting irritation resulting in watery eyes. It is best to use organic products or mild products. You can also talk to a specialist for a better recommendation of products you can opt for.
• Weak Eyes: Watery or teary eyes can be due to weak eyesight. It’s better to get your eyes checked and get your suitable lens. Weak-eyes can be due to many reasons, like genetic issues, lack of vitamins, etc.

Also Read: Best Vitamins For Eyes

Available Treatment Options For Watery Eyes

Watery eyes can be very annoying and can be a hurdle in enjoying a great day. However, you can find the solutions at your home. Try these solutions to fix the problem of excessive water in your eyes.

• Tea Bags: Place cool tea bags on your eyes while they are closed. It will cool your eyes and also relax you. This remedy will also improve the skin condition around your eyes, preventing swellings and eye bags.
• Compression: You can use warm compression to soothe styes, blepharitis, and symptoms of conjunctivitis. It must be kept in mind that compression provides relief and not a cure to the condition.

One can also resort to cold-compression for soothing effects.

Also Read: Symptoms, Causes, And Treatments For Dry Eyes

Medical Treatments

Nothing can replace a doctor and their advice. Home remedies are just a way to control tolerable discomfort, unlike medical help. You should always seek medical help in cases of extreme distress, even in matters related to the eye.

One should see a doctor for the following issues:

• To remove the sand particles or any foreign object stuck under the eyelids or in your eyes
• In case of eye infection, allergy, or conjunctivitis, consult a doctor for antibiotics
• Always use prescribed eye drops by your doctors
• In headaches such as migraines, doctors usually have a course of exercises to help fix the migraine. Visit the specialist and get yourself recovered

When to see the Doctor?

Generally, watery eyes can be treated easily with rest, proper food, and keeping eyes clean, or simple home remedies. However, there are situations where one must visit an eye specialist:

• When you have consistent teary eyes
• Persistent pain for more than two days
• Red, irritated, swollen, and/or painful eyes
• Vision issues
• Blood clotting on the surface visible on the eyes
• Discharge from eyes in white color
• A foreign object stuck under the eyelids
• Watery eyes accompanied by Headaches

Prevention Measures

Precaution is always better than cure. Save your cash and your eyes by following simple, easy eye-care habits:

• Avoid using eye products like Mascara, Kajal, Eyeliner, which belong to others. It will prevent infection exchange and is a great practice to maintain personal hygiene.
• Wash your eyes regularly. Use mild soap on the face that will not irritate your eyes.
• Wear spectacles while working on a desktop to avoid the harmful effects of radiation.
• Avoid directly looking at a bright object.
• Take your vitamins properly to keep your eyes healthy.
• Have a night of sleep for about 6-8 hours to recover your eyes from work.

Conclusion

Our eyes are one of the most sensitive organs of the entire body. Even a small straw of grass can hurt the beauty of vision. Consider it the greatest gift that must always be valued and protected.

Generally, the watery eyes are often neglected as one continues with one day. However, it can be a symptom of serious infections, allergies, or sickness. It is best to see a professional regularly to keep your eyes healthy.