Have you ever suddenly experienced an onset of watery eyes? Most times, these random occurrences are perfectly normal, but consistent flare-ups can often indicate a more serious issue at play. Read on to find out what could be behind those tear ups and what you can do to treat watery eyes.
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What Causes Watery Eyes?
Watery eyes can be caused by a number of factors. The most prevalent is dry eye syndrome. If the tear glands stop producing enough moisture, the eyes become irritated and your body sends signals to produce an overflow of tears to lubricate them. Allergies and infections can also trigger your eyes to water up in an attempt to ease inflammation. The good news is each of these can be easily cured with medication. Blocked ducts and other eyelid issues, on the other hand, can create issues that often need treatment and sometimes even surgery.
Dry Eye Treatments
A majority of the time, watery eyes can be cured with over-the-counter eye drops which you find at your local pharmacy. But if you’ve already tried these and you’re still experiencing irritated, watery eyes, it’s time to talk to your doctor or optometrist about prescription drops.
Allergy Treatments
Treating allergies can also help to clear up your watery eyes. There are a number of highly effective over the counter allergy medications that you can try first. If those don’t do the trick, you might need something stronger to alleviate the symptoms. Talk to your doctor about the prescription medication options available to you.
Eye Infection Treatments
When your watery eyes are the result of an eye infection, you’ll likely need antibiotics to treat it. Pink eye can often be treated with eye drops but other infections might need a prescription from your doctor. In either case, it’s important to see your doctor so they can make a proper diagnosis and treat you with the right medication.
Blocked Tear Duct Treatments
A blocked tear duct will prevent your eye from draining normally. Fortunately, it’s often temporary and easily treatable. A warm, wet towel placed over your eyes several times a day can often fix the issue. But if the problem persists, it’s important to talk to your doctor. They can usually fix the issue with a procedure and local anesthetic. Persistent issues with your tear ducts can signal a blockage further down the tear duct that might need surgery to open the blocked ducts and alleviate the symptoms.
Eye Condition Treatments
If the eyelids start to droop away from the eye, an accumulation of tears can result on the surface of the eye, instead of being pumped directly into the tear duct to be drained away. In some cases, a surgical solution might be required to tighten the eyelid.
Vision Treatments
A lot of the time, watery eyes are caused by poorly corrected vision, meaning your glasses could be to blame. Over time, our eyes change which means our prescription needs to change too. If you’re using outdated glasses, your eyes will need to work overtime just to see clearly. Getting a new set of customized glasses or contact lenses with the right prescription can quickly treat the issue and resolve your tired, watery eyes.
Most causes of watery eyes can be quickly fixed. If you’re experiencing random flare-ups that are causing some concern, contact us at Laurier Optical for an eye exam. Our in-house optometrist will determine the underlying cause and recommend a treatment that will clear up your watery eyes so that you can get back to your normal day to day life.