Watery Eye Symptoms & Signs
Medical Author: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
Tearing is a normal function of the eye. Excessive tearing, or teary eyes that are not from normal crying, can be a sign of an underlying health condition or disease. The tears of the eye come from the tear gland, called the lacrimal gland, which is located above the outer eye. Tears are composed of water, oil, and antibodies. The moisture from tears on the front of the eye, the cornea, is important to prevent damage to the cornea from drying.
The tears drain from the eye through the tear ducts (lacrimal ducts). If the tear ducts become blocked, tears can well up in the eye and fall excessively. This leads to watery eye (epiphora), often mistaken for crying. Tear ducts can become blocked from infection and inflammation, both of which can also lead to excessive tear production. The outer membrane of the eye is called the conjunctiva. Any irritation of the cornea can lead to watery eye. Inflammation of the conjunctiva from (conjunctivitis) infection or allergy is a common cause of itchy, watery eyes, as well as eye swelling. Infection can require antibiotics in the form of prescription eye drops.
Symptoms that can be associated with watery eye and excessive tearing include
- eye pain,
- eye inflammation or eye infection,
- runny nose,
- vision impairment,
- eye swelling, and
- eye redness.
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Kasper, D., et al., eds. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 19th Ed. United States: McGraw-Hill Professional, 2015.
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