Watery eyes can be very irritating, and they might be due to anything from allergies to bacterial infections. Regardless of what's bothering your eyes, there are several things you can do to stop them from watering. Common remedies include removing potential environmental eye irritation triggers, such as dust, pollen, pollution, and makeup, along with washing the skin around your eyes and eyelashes, gently rinsing your eyes with water, using eye drops, and using a warm compress. If these remedies don't work, see your doctor, who may be able to diagnose and treat the problem. There are also some things that you can do to prevent watery eyes, such as wearing goggles, wearing sunglasses, and wearing your own makeup.
[Edit]Steps
[Edit]Soothing Irritated Eyes
- Flush your eye gently with water if you have a foreign object or debris in it. If you have something stuck in your eye, it may be causing your eye to water. Flush your eye out with water to attempt to remove the object or debris. Hold your eye open under a gentle stream of lukewarm running water. You can also do this in the shower by allowing the water to hit your forehead and holding your eye open as the water runs down your face. Or, you can wash your eye with an eyewash station or an eyecup.[1]
- Do not try to pull a foreign object out of your eye with your fingers or tweezers.
- Seek medical attention if you're certain there's something in your eye and flushing it with water does not work.[2]
- Use eye drops or artificial tears if your eyes are dry. Dryness can actually cause your eyes to water more than usual. Eye drops moisten and lubricate the eyes, which may decrease the production of tears. To use eye drops, tilt your head back and pull down your lower eyelid with you fingertip. Hold the eye drop bottle away from your eyes. Do not allow the bottle tip to touch your eyes. Squeeze the bottle to dispense an eye drop into your open eye and repeat 2 to 3 times.[3]
- You can purchase eye drops over-the-counter at a drug store.
- Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for how often to use eye drops.
- Remove your contact lenses if you wear them. If you wear contact lenses and your eyes are watering, try removing your contact lenses. Contacts can make watery eyes worse while also potentially preventing eye drops from working. Talk to your ophthalmologist if you think your contacts might be to blame for your watery eyes.[4]
- Follow your eye doctor’s instructions for keeping your contact lenses clean. If you use disposable contact lenses, never wear them more than once. Always dispose of them after use.
- Never sleep with your contact lenses in unless your eye doctor says it is okay.
- Avoid wearing your contact lenses when swimming or showering.
- Make an eye compress to soothe irritated eyes. First, remove any eye makeup you have on, and wash your face and the skin around your eyes. Then, hold a clean washcloth under warm to hot water, and squeeze out the excess water. Lie down or recline in a chair, and lay the washcloth across your closed eyes. Keep the cloth in place for 5 to 10 minutes.[5]
- Repeat 3 to 4 times per day to soothe your eyes.
- Warm compresses help to remove crust from the eyes while also working to loosen up anything that might be blocking your tear ducts. They also help to reduce the redness and irritation that often comes with watery eyes.
[Edit]Getting Help from Your Doctor
- Talk to your doctor about antihistamines for watery eyes from allergies. Taking an antihistamine, or allergy pill, can help to reduce eye irritation caused by allergies. Talk to your doctor if you are unsure about whether your watery eyes are the result of allergies and if antihistamines might be helpful for your watery eyes.[6]
- The most common antihistamine drug is the capsule form of diphenhydramine, which is taken orally. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for how to take this medication.[7]
- Ask your doctor about antibiotics for a bacterial eye infection. If you go to see a doctor about your watery eyes, they may prescribe an antibiotic if they suspect that you have a bacterial eye infection. Bacterial infections respond well to antibiotics; however, if your watery eye is caused by a virus, the doctor might not prescribe any medication and will ask you to wait for a week to see whether the condition improves or not.[8]
- The most common antibiotic prescribed for watery eyes is tobramycin. Tobramycin is an antibacterial eye drop drug specifically made for eye infection. Use the medication as directed by your doctor. Usually, this means you apply 1 drop of tobramycin on the affected eye twice a day for 7 days — once in the morning and once in the evening before going to sleep.[9]
- Consider the medications you are taking that might cause eye watering. Some medications can cause watery eyes as a side effect. Check the labels of your prescription medications and ask your doctor if you are not sure. If watery eyes is a lasting side effect of a medication you are taking, talk to your doctor about the possibility of switching to something else. Do not stop taking your medication without consulting your doctor first. Some common types of medicine that may cause watery eyes include:[10]
- Epinephrine
- Chemotherapy drugs
- Cholinergic agonists
- Some eye drops, such as echothiophate iodide and pilocarpine
- Discuss other possible causes of watery eyes with your doctor. There are a wide variety of medical conditions that can cause watery eyes. If you have not been able to determine the cause of your watery eyes, ask for help from your doctor. Some conditions that may cause watery eyes include:[11]
- Allergic conjunctivitis
- Allergic rhinitis
- Blepharitis (inflamed eyelids)
- Blocked Tear Duct
- Common Cold
- Ingrown Eyelashes
- Pink Eye
- Hay Fever
- Sty
- Tear duct infection
- Talk to your doctor about procedures to treat blocked tear ducts. If you are having frequent problems with watery eyes due to plugged tear ducts, you may need to have an irrigation, intubation, or surgical procedure to clear the blockage. These options would only be required if other methods of clearing the blockage did not work or your watery eyes are chronic. Some options may include:[12]
- Punctal dilation. If tears cannot properly drain through the tear duct openings, punctal dilation may be done. The ophthalmologist will apply local anesthesia on the affected eye. An instrument will be used to widen the opening of the tear duct so that the tears can drain properly through it.[13]
- Stenting or intubation. In this procedure, the doctor threads a piece of thin tubing through one or both of your tear ducts. The tubing widens the opening of your tear ducts, which makes it easier for tears to drain. The tubes are left in for about 3 months. This procedure may be performed under local or general anesthesia.[14]
- Dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR). DCR is a surgical procedure that may be required if a less invasive method does not work. DCR creates a new channel for tears to drain through. The surgeon uses the existing tear sac in your nose to create the channel. DCR requires local or general anesthesia.[15]
[Edit]Protecting Your Eyes
- Protect your eyes from foreign objects and debris with goggles. Make sure that you wear goggles or other protective eyewear when working with chemicals, power tools, or around lots of airborne particulates, such as sawdust. These materials can become lodged in your eyes and cause your eyes to water. Wearing goggles will also help protect your eyes from large or small objects that might hit you in the eye and cause damage.[16]
- You can purchase goggles in a hardware store. Choose a pair that protects your eyes from all sides.
- Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from the sun. Sunglasses shield your eyes from harsh UV rays that can cause your eyes to water. Sunglasses can also act as a shield against particles and other debris that gets swept up by the wind and could potentially blow into your eyes.[17]
- Before putting on your sunglasses, make sure that you wipe off any dust that might have collected on them.
- Run an air purifier in your home to reduce environmental irritants. An air purifier can help to filter out dust and other potential irritants in the air. Try keeping an air purifier in a central area of your home and running it during the day, or placing an air purifier in your bedroom and running it at night.[18]
- This may be especially helpful if you suffer from indoor allergies, such as dust and pet dander.
- Cleanse your eyes thoroughly to remove eye makeup or avoid using it. Avoid eyeliner and any eye makeup you apply along the waterline. Applying makeup to these areas of your eyes can irritate your eyes. Also, not cleansing your eyes thoroughly after wearing any kind of eye makeup may result in plugged tear ducts along your lash line.[19]
- Use a gentle facial cleanser to wash your face and then wipe your eyes with a washcloth to wipe away any remaining eye makeup.
[Edit]Tips
- Take care when disposing of tissues or washcloths you have used to wipe your eyes. If you have a bacterial or viral infection, you can spread the infection to someone else if they come in contact with your tissue or washcloth.
[Edit]Warnings
- If your watery eyes persist, see a doctor. You may have a viral or bacterial infection.
- Avoid activities that require good vision, like driving, until your eyes stop watering. Having watery eyes can make vision-oriented activities difficult or even dangerous.
- Don’t use perfumes, hair sprays, and other scented aerosol products. These can cause your eyes to water.
[Edit]Related wikiHows
- Care for Dry Eyes
- Avoid Getting Dry Eyes from the Computer
- Wash Eyes With Water
- Relieve Eye Strain
- Comfort a Sore and Itchy Eye
- Get Rid of a Red Eye
- Get Rid of Pink Eye Fast
- Get Rid of a Runny Nose
[Edit]References
[Edit]Quick Summary
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid/basics/art-20056645
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/watering-eyes/
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/watering-eyes/
- ↑ https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/blog/causes-of-eye-watering
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dry-eyes/basics/lifestyle-home-remedies/con-20024129
- ↑ https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/blog/causes-of-eye-watering
- ↑ http://reference.medscape.com/drug/benadryl-nytol-diphenhydramine-343392
- ↑ https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/blog/causes-of-eye-watering
- ↑ https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a682660.html
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/watery-eyes/basics/causes/sym-20050821
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/watery-eyes/basics/causes/sym-20050821
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/blocked-tear-duct/basics/treatment/con-20033765
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/blocked-tear-duct/basics/treatment/con-20033765
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/blocked-tear-duct/basics/treatment/con-20033765
- ↑ http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Watering-eye/Pages/Treatment.aspx
- ↑ https://nei.nih.gov/healthyeyes/eyehealthtips
- ↑ http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169397.php
- ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/itchy-red-eyes-how-to-tell-if-its-allergy-or-infection/
- ↑ https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/blog/causes-of-eye-watering
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