Do your eyes water frequently? Causes and tips

• Environmental influences or foreign bodies: Dust, dry air, fluff or hairs irritate the eye. Its reaction is to increase tear production to flush any irritants out of the eye.
• Intolerances and allergies: On contact with allergens such as pollen or animal hair, the eyes also start to water as the irritation stimulates tear production to remove the substances from the eye.
• Diseases: Diabetes, thyroid problems or rheumatism can all cause watery eyes. Injuries and inflammations of the cornea or conjunctiva also cause watery eyes.
• Working at a computer screen: Reduced blinking frequency when working at a computer screen is a common cause of watery eyes. The tear film ruptures and evaporates, causing the eye to become irritated and inflamed. Our nervous system reacts to this disturbance with increased tear production.
• The use of various medications: Psychotropic drugs, antihistamines, beta blockers, and contraceptives such as the pill can cause dry, watery eyes.

Watery eyes can be a sign of various diseases and ailments – dry eye (sicca syndrome) is one of them, as paradoxical as it may sound. For there can be two reasons why the tears flow:

• An irritation of the eye: This is because, when the surface of the eye is too dry, the friction of the eyelid creates an irritation. The lacrimal glands react with an increased production of tears to compensate for the lack of moisture. The problem: The surface of the eye and the conjunctival sac can only absorb and hold a certain amount of fluid. If there is too much it simply spills over the edge of the eyelid, and the tears begin to roll.
• The wrong composition of the tear fluid: The tear film consists of a watery component and a lipid component. To be exact, it is built up of three layers: There is a thin layer of mucus (mucin layer) directly on the cornea, which makes the fluid adhere better to the eye. Above this, the aqueous layer covers the eye. Protection and stability are provided by the lipid layer, the lipid content of which prevents the tears from evaporating prematurely or running out of the eye. This makes the protective coating stable and keeps the surface of the eye smooth. However, if there is an imbalance between these components, the tear film becomes unstable, ruptures and starts to run out of the eye.

Despite the heavy flow of tears, in both cases one speaks of dry eyes, because the tear film does not provide sufficient protection for the eye and the surface of the eye dries out. The cause of a defective lipid layer can be a disorder of the glands of the eyelid, among other things. The symptom of watery eyes often occurs with eyelid margin inflammation or meibomian gland dysfunction.

• Dry eyes usually have additional symptoms, such as
• itching, burning or scratching in the eyes
• a feeling of pressure or foreign body sensation
• swollen, sticky eyelids
• impaired vision
• sensitivity to light
• eye pain

If the examination has excluded serious diseases, you can take action yourself to reduce the watering of your eyes:

• Avoid draughts and turn off the air conditioning indoors and in the car.
• Ensure a comfortable indoor climate by airing regularly. A humidifier helps against dry room air.
• Smokers should best give up cigarettes altogether or at least reduce the number considerably.
• Those who work at a computer every day should take regular breaks. Blink deliberately more often to stimulate the regular production of tear fluid.
• Make sure you get enough sleep.
• In general, a healthy diet with lots of vital substances supports eye health.
• Drink about 2 litres of water or unsweetened tea daily to keep the mucous membranes active.

If sicca syndrome is behind the increased tear production, eye lubricators can help to compensate for the eye's wetting disorder. Lubricating eye drops stabilise the tear film and protect the eye against pathogens and intruders. If the cause is an inflammation of the eyes, your eye specialist will treat the symptoms with medication.