Dealing with excessive amounts of clear tears running from your eyes can be a hassle. Not only do you always have to soak up the tears, but they can cause irritation to your eyelids and the tissue below your eyes. Don't just ignore constantly tearing eyes. Figure out what's causing them, so you can obtain the proper treatment. Here's a look at three possible causes.
Allergies
If your eyes are also red and itchy, there's a good chance the tearing is caused by allergies. Even if you have not had allergies in the past, you may have recently developed them. Many adults develop allergies out of the blue. Generally, runny eyes are caused by an environmental allergy. Is your home dusty? Do you have pets whose dander could be causing your symptoms? Are your symptoms worse after you have been outside? Consider visiting an allergist to help get to the bottom of what, exactly, is causing your allergies. In the meantime, taking an over-the-counter antihistamine medication may help ease your symptoms.
Blocked Tear Ducts
Your tear ducts are meant to drain tears away from your eyes. If they become blocked, the tears will run down your face instead of being drained away through the tear ducts. If you've noticed puffiness towards the inner corners of your eyes (this could be caused by sinus inflammation or an infection) then blocked tear ducts are likely to blame. Taking an NSAID like ibuprofen may help bring the swelling down, clearing your tear ducts. Holding a warm washcloth over your eyes can also help. If your symptoms don't clear up within a day or so, contact your eye doctor.
Excessive Tear Production
Sometimes your eyes may be watering simply because your lacrimal glands are producing too many tears. They may not be responding properly to neurological cues to stop producing. It can be tough to distinguish between this problem and a blocked tear duct, but if you try the treatments for a blocked tear duct and they are ineffective, then over-active lacrimal glands are likely to blame. You will need to visit an eye doctor for treatment. He or she may prescribe a medication to reduce tear production. Sometimes, increased tear production occurs in reaction to other problems like cataracts, so your eye doctor will need to rule out conditions like this, too.
If your eyes are constantly running, don't ignore the problem. Most all causes of this issue are easily treatable, so speak to your eye doctor, such as Stevenson James Dr, for help.
Share20 January 2016
Do you remember the last time you thought about the quality of your vision? Although it can be easy to write off vision problems as a simple frustration, taking the time to visit your eye doctor might help you to take care of important aspects of your day to day life. In addition to making your vision more comfortable with the right pair of frames or the right contact lenses, going to the eye doctor might also help you to keep up with your overall eye care. If you have an undetected disease or illness, your eye doctor might mention it before it affects your health. Read this blog for more information.
