Excessive tearing, or epiphora, means tears overflow onto the cheek instead of draining through the normal pathway. This may result from overproduction, poor tear quality or obstruction of drainage.
Key causes
Dry eye, allergy and surface irritation stimulate reflex tearing even when the eye feels gritty. Narrowed puncta, eyelid malposition and nasolacrimal duct obstruction all interfere with tear outflow and lead to watery eyes.
- Symptoms can alternate between watering and dryness
- Ectropion prevents tears entering the drainage openings
- Long-standing blockage may cause recurrent infections of the lacrimal sac
- Treatment ranges from lubricants to procedures on the puncta or tear duct
