Are your eyes constantly watering?

If your eyes are constantly watering, then it’s time to consult a specialist. The common cause for excessive tearing is an obstruction in the tear duct at the level of its opening into the nose.

Normally, a steady current of tears is constantly passing over the eye and is cleared by the tear drainage system. An obstruction in this process causes a tear traffic jam and the pooled tears overflow from the corner of the eye on the affected side.

What is to be noted here is the stagnant tears are an ideal bed for bacterial growth and the infections in the tear sac sometimes results in painful swelling near the eye called “Acute Dacryocystitis.”

More commonly, the infection is long standing resulting in an incessant purulent discharge. Swollen lids, pooled tears and matted lashes cause the eye to appear shrunken.

In rare cases, the infection can spread deeper and become life threatening. The infected tear sac can, on occasion, rupture on the skin surface resulting in abnormal tear drainage on to the cheek through a fistula.

Tearing in Children

The tear duct develops late in children and may take some time to open. In some cases, the opening of the duct can be delayed resulting in excess watering and even infections. Such obstructed ducts can be opened by systematic massaging of the tear sac and medication. Sometimes the block does not open and may need further intervention.

HIN18MAR12