Excess tearing from the eyes – Epiphora

Excess tearing from the eyes – Epiphora

Excess tearing from the eyes is a condition in which there is an overflow of tears onto the face, often without a clear explanation. There is insufficient tear film drainage from the eye or eyes. Instead of the tears draining through the nasolacrimal system, they overflow onto the face. Tears are needed to keep the front surface of the eye healthy and maintain clear vision. This can make driving difficult or dangerous. Excess tearing from the eyes can develop at any age. It may affect one or both eyes.

If the tear ducts are narrowed or blocked, the tears will not be able to drain away and will build up in the tear sac. Stagnant tears in the tear sac increase the risk of infection, and the eye will produce a sticky liquid, making the problem worse. Infection can also lead to inflammation on the side of the nose, next to the eye. Watering eye can usually be treated effectively.

Diagnosis:

Syringing can be done in the out patient clinic & see where the block is.

Different causes of watering eyes have specific treatment options:

Irritation: If the watering eye is caused by infective conjunctivitis, the doctor may prefer to wait for a week or so to see if the problem resolves itself without antibiotics.
Trichiasis: An inward-growing eyelash, or some foreign object that lodged in the eye, the doctor will remove it.
Ectropion: The eyelid turns outwards – the patient may need to undergo surgery in which the tendon that holds the outer eyelid in place is tightened.
Blocked tear ducts: Surgery can create a new channel from the tear sac to the inside of the nose. This allows the tears to bypass the blocked part of the tear duct. This surgical procedure is called dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR).