Why Are My Eyes Watering?

Did you know tears serve an important function for our eye health? Tears play a vital role in flushing out irritants, fighting off infections, keeping your eyes nourished, moisturised and also help to relieve stress. In healthy eyes, lubricating tears called basal tears continuously bathe the cornea, nourishing its cells and providing a layer of liquid protection from the environment. However, if the quantity or quality of your tears declines, the tears will fail to keep the surface of the eye adequately lubricated — resulting in Dry Eye Syndrome.

Dry Eye is a condition that develops when the amount of tears produced is not sufficient to maintain the moisture balance in your eye. This can result in that scratchy sensation, a continuous feeling of dryness, stinging and a sensation of a foreign body in your eye. Ironically, in an effort to fight off the condition, dry eyes can cause you to produce excessive tears, which is why some people experience watery eyes as a symptom of this condition

If you often experience watery eyes as a result of Dry Eye, there could be a few possible reasons for this —  increased tear production or an incorrect composition of the lacrimal fluid:

Increased Tear Production

With watery eyes, it could be that the amount of lacrimal fluid produced within a given period is too great. The reason for this is that if the cornea is not lubricated enoughthe opening and closing of the eyelid produces friction on the surface of the eye. To reduce this uncomfortable friction, the lacrimal glands react by producing more tears in order to compensate for the lack of moisture. The surface of the eye can, however, only absorb and hold a certain amount of fluid. If the accumulated volume of tears produced is too great, the superfluous lacrimal fluid flows out of the eyes, resulting in watery eyes.

Incorrect Tear Composition

Another reason why some people who suffer from Dry Eye experience watery eyes is due to an incorrect composition of the tear fluid caused by meibomian gland dysfunction (a blockage or some other abnormality of the meibomian glands so that they don’t secrete enough oils).

The tear film, which is composed of three layers, plays an important role in our eye health, as it lubricates and nourishes the surface of the eye. However, if the lacrimal fluid does not have the correct composition, these three layers of eye lubrication will not be stable enough to hold together on the surface of the eye. In this case, the disruptions and instability of the upper oily layer causes the tears to evaporate leaving the eye surface dry and irritated. To compensate for this, the lacrimal glands are stimulated, which causes an overproduction of tears — and hence the eyes start watering.

Suffering From Dry Eye?

If you are searching for effective relief from dry and uncomfortable eyes, our leading-edge Dry Eye treatment at Oasis Spa might be just what you are looking for! Come in for an assessment at Oasis Dry Eye Spa to receive a full clinical evaluation of the likely cause of your Dry Eye and be provided with a tailored treatment plan. Typically, once the cause of your Dry Eye syndrome is addressed and you have received a treatment plan targeted to treat the root cause of your Dry Eye, your watery eyes will resolve.

Throughout your tailored treatment plan, you will have access to proven, state-of-the-art dry eye technology including LipiFlow and Lumenis Optima IPL and your treatment will be delivered by our expertly trained team. Our aspiration is to give you the freedom to enjoy life without discomfort, and we are committed to providing a luxurious, relaxing environment during your treatment. Book your introductory assessment with our Dry Eye specialist team by emailing to oasisspa@aucklandeye.co.nz

Please note, watery eyes can also be a sign of various illness or injuries, which is why we recommend you visit an eye doctor as soon as possible to determine the cause of your persistent watery eyes. To book an appointment with one of our highly specialised and knowledgeable ophthalmologists, call 0800 25 53 93.