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Home remedies for watery or teary eyes

by Alivia Nyhan
Published: Last Updated on

Tears are drops of fluid secreted by the lacrimal glands. Its role is to keep the eyes moist and help eliminate foreign bodies that enter them. Watery or watery eyes is a condition that implies that, for some reason, the lacrimal glands are producing more tears than usual.

The constant tearing can be very irritating and even interfere with good vision. Different reasons can be at the origin of this condition, from environmental conditions that irritate the eyes to infections by other germs. From FastlyHealwe bring you some home remedies for watery or tearing eyes.

Causes of watery or teary eyes

Under normal conditions, the lacrimal glands are responsible for secreting tears or tear fluid. It is a high sodium chloride concentration fluid, hence its salty taste. It also contains antibodies. In addition, there are some main lacrimal glands in the upper part of the eye and other smaller ones located in the rest of the eye.

Tears are mainly to keep the eyes moist, forming a smooth layer on the cornea that lets light in without damaging the eye. The blinking, for its part, plays the role of distributing tear fluid throughout the eye each time, which contributes to the formation of this protective layer that is also antiseptic due to its composition rich in gamma globulins. Thus, in addition, it protects the eyes from foreign objects such as bacteria, dust, or any other.

This is a system that, under normal conditions, when the gland produces more tears for some reason, will drain the excess fluid through the lacrimal canaliculi into the lacrimal sac. When the amount of tears exceeds the capacity of this system, they overflow through the lower eyelid and the cheek.

Usually, many tears are produced when the person feels sad until crying or, sometimes, when he laughs too much. But other circumstances can cause constant tearing, which can indicate that something is not correct; in addition to that, it can become very annoying and even obstruct vision. These causes of watery or teary eyes include:

  • Trauma pain.
  • Irritation of the eyes by foreign bodies, wind, intense cold, or environmental contamination.
  • Bacterial or viral infections.
  • Allergic reactions.
  • Inward-growing eyelashes.
  • Fatigue.
  • It has clogged tear ducts.
  • Blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelid).
  • Dryness of the eyes.
  • A side effect of certain medications.

Home remedies for watery or teary eyes

The watery eye is a condition that occurs frequently and is usually not serious. Still, if you see that it is recurrent and does not improve with the passing of days, it will be better to go to the ophthalmologist. They will be able to give you an accurate diagnosis and medical treatment for tearing, whether it is an infection or a more severe condition.

When you have watery eyes, the measures you can take are very varied. Everything will depend on the origin of the tearing. On the one hand, it is advisable to treat tearing to relieve discomfort, and, on the other hand, it is equally important to treat the problem that causes it.

Among the home remedies to relieve tearing or watery eyes are:

Eyewash

One of the most accessible home remedies to apply when you have watery eyes is an eyewash, as it can be done with different solutions, even just with sterile water. This natural treatment is the most recommended when the presence of a foreign object in the eye is suspected. It is essential not to try to remove the thing directly with your fingers as you run the risk of damaging the eye.

You can wash your eyes by running the water or solution over them. You can also fill an eye cup and use it on the affected eye. Apart from water, you can use different keys prepared at home with ingredients that we usually have in the pantry or the garden, such as chamomile flowers, mallow flowers, plantain, or rose petals.

Drops of artificial tears

When the eye is dry, more tears are produced to compensate for the lack of moisture. In these cases, the drops or artificial tears help to lubricate the eye’s surface, and in this way, the look is prevented from producing more tears. This remedy can also help when eyesight is tired as it refreshes the eyes.

Herbal infused warm compresses

Warm compresses placed on the eyelids also relieve watery eyes. This remedy can help remove dust or pollen residue that has entered the eye or blocked the tear ducts. The compresses can be made with a towel passed through hot water; then, the excess water is squeezed out and placed over the closed eyes until it loses heat.

This helps decrease irritation and inflammation. You can also make compresses with anti-inflammatory and soothing herbs such as chamomile, rue flower, and dried nettle. An infusion is prepared with the plant on hand, for example, with chamomile, one of the most common, and the cotton is soaked when it is already warm. Then the wet cotton is placed on the eyelids. When the cause of tearing is fatigue, nettle compresses give excellent results.

Use of antihistamines

If the tearing is related to allergies, it is essential to treat this condition, in addition to alleviating the annoying symptoms of watery eyes. Medicines called antihistamines are generally used to treat allergies. If the cause of the tearing is an allergy, this treatment will undoubtedly reduce the discomfort. Go to your doctor and tell him that he will prescribe the appropriate medication if you think it is an allergy.

Lacrimal massage

Sometimes the problem lies in the tear ducts. If these are obstructed, they do not allow adequate drainage of the tear fluid. In these cases, gentle massages can be applied in the form of concentric circles just above the tear duct. It should be done with clean hands several times a day for several weeks or until relief is felt.

How to avoid watery eyes or tearing

If you have a certain predisposition or frequently suffer from watery eyes, perhaps it is best to take some measures and incorporate some routines to avoid it. These are recommendations to prevent watery eyes :

  • Wear glasses or glasses that protect the eyes from foreign objects and wear sunglasses that protect them from the sun’s rays. If you work with chemicals or are in highly polluted environments, protective glasses are also recommended.
  • Not wearing makeup for a few days can alleviate watery eyes, and it is advisable to only use your makeup as using other people’s can bring an infection.
  • Keeping allergies under control, perhaps consulting with your doctor to treat allergy attacks with antihistamines.
  • If possible, you should not touch your eyes and if you do, try to do it with well-clean hands. It is better to do it with disposable cotton swabs and not with a towel when drying.
  • Try not to wear contact lenses when your eyes are watery. Also, please do not use them to sleep or when you bathe or swim. When using drops or artificial tears, place them before putting on contact lenses to take advantage of their effect.
  • Make cold green tea compresses. Once the tea is made, place the tea bags in the freezer. Then, put a rugged bag on each eyelid. This is anti-inflammatory and soothing. It also contains vitamin C, also recognized for reducing inflammation.
  • Eat a balanced diet with foods rich in vitamin C to prevent colds.
  • Rest at least 8 hours a day. When working on the computer, take breaks to rest your eyes, adjust the screen’s brightness, and wear a protector if necessary.

When to see a doctor for watery eyes

Watery or watery eyes are common condition that occurs for various reasons. A few home remedies are enough to improve the situation most of the time. However, in some cases, it will be necessary to go to the doctor because the condition does not show improvement in a few days or even worsens. Such is the case when there is a bacterial infection, and the application of antibiotics is necessary.

In these cases, the doctor will prescribe drops with antibiotics and surely eyewashes. If it is a viral infection, all that remains is to wait and alleviate the symptoms while the virus passes through the cycle with a natural remedy.

On the other hand, it is essential to see a doctor when tearing is accompanied by other symptoms such as:

  • Red eyes with a lot of discharge.
  • Eye pain
  • Pain around the nose

It is also necessary to consult with the doctor when it is thought that the condition of the watery eyes is associated with any medication. It is always advisable to read the brochure or leaflet of the medicines you take and review the side effects well. Certain drugs, such as epinephrine or chemotherapy, can cause tearing.

Other less common conditions can also cause watery eyes. Such is the case of the obstruction of the tear ducts, a condition that will require more complex procedures. In some cases, the ophthalmologist may recommend dilation of the tear ducts so that the tear fluid can drain adequately. Another method used when there are problems with drainage is to perform a stent implant or intubation, which involves the placement of a microtube that widens the opening of the tear duct. Ultimately, a Dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) can be performed, creating a new exit orifice for tears.

This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Home remedies for watery or tearing eyes, we recommend that you enter our Eyes and vision category .

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