Categories: General Optometry

What Causes Watery Eyes?

Tears are crucial to your eye health. This special mucus lubricates and keeps the eyes hydrated. It also washes foreign objects away to protect the eyes. 

Sometimes, watery eyes can occur due to an overproduction of tears by the tear ducts. In most cases, this condition gets resolved on its own. But if it doesn’t subside after a few days, eye doctors should be able to help you and figure out the cause of your condition.

Keep reading to learn about the common causes of watery eyes and when you should see a doctor.

Causes of Watery Eyes

Tear ducts produce more tears when you get emotional. As you have experienced, this production is temporary and will disappear once your emotions stabilize. Your eyes can also become watery when you laugh, yawn, sneeze or cough.

Furthermore, foreign objects can irritate your eyes. If you’ve entered a dusty or windy environment, you may temporarily suffer from watery eyes. This is because wind can cause dust to enter your eyes or cause your tears to dry faster, signaling your body to increase its tear production.

In some cases, watery eyes are due to dry eye syndrome. This condition is a result of having poor-quality tears that cannot provide your eyes with proper lubrication and nourishment. If your tears dry too quickly, your tear ducts will compensate by producing excessive tears.

Other causes of watery eyes include eye strain and colds. Conjunctivitis, ingrown eyelashes and clogged tear ducts can also lead to this problem. 

When to See an Eye Doctor

If you’re wearing contact lenses and you experience watery eyes along with other symptoms, call your eye doctor immediately. Typically, watery eyes don’t last for days. So, if your eyes have been watery for an extended period, you should visit an eye doctor. 

Furthermore, if your eyes became watery due to a scratch, exposure to harsh chemicals or eye injury, seek medical attention immediately. You should also go to a doctor right away if your eyes are bruised, bleeding or secreting fluids.

Insight Vision Center Optometry has decades of experience in providing quality eye care. Our services include orthokeratology, comprehensive eye exams and more. To schedule an appointment, call us at (714) 486-3315, or fill out our contact form. We serve patients in Costa Mesa and Newport Beach, CA.

Insight Vision Center Optometry

Recent Posts

What to Do If Your Kid Keeps Taking Off Their Glasses

Getting your child to wear their glasses consistently can be a challenge, especially if they're…

11 hours ago

Expanding Vision Care: Dr. Schramm’s Mission to Armenia Introduces Scleral Lenses

The opportunity to serve and uplift communities through eye care has long been a part…

2 weeks ago

How YouTube and Vision Therapy Changed a Life: Jonathan Morrison’s Journey at Insight Vision Center Optometry

Social media has a remarkable way of connecting people, and sometimes, it even brings them…

2 weeks ago

Achieving 20/20 Vision with Custom Scleral Lenses: A Life-Changing Success Story at Insight Vision Center Optometry

At Insight Vision Center Optometry, we believe that every patient deserves a solution tailored precisely…

2 weeks ago

Chemical Eye Injuries from Acids

Understanding Chemical Injuries Experiencing a chemical eye injury can be distressing and potentially harmful, especially…

2 weeks ago

The Visual Edge in Sports: How Insight Vision Center Optometry is Boosting Athletic Performance in Orange County

Enhancing Depth Perception and Focus Through Sports Vision Training with Proball Baseball and OC Sport…

3 weeks ago