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How are tears produced?
Small glands called lacrimal glands constantly produce tears to keep the eye moist, lubricated and healthy. As new tears are produced, old tears drain from the eye through two small openings in the eyelids. The tears then move through a passage into the lacrimal sac. From the sac, the tears go to the tear duct and drain into the back of the nose and throat. That is why our noses run when we cry. |
What causes excessive tearing?
- Excessive tearing may occur from the following:
- Injury, birth defects, infection, or tumor of the tear drainage system
- Eyelid and eyelash disorders
- Infection in the eye
- Environmental irritants
- Glaucoma
- Certain medication
- Allergic reactions
- Eyestrain
- Dry eyes
- Foreign material in the eye
- Scratch on the eye
A thorough eye examination by your eye care professional is necessary to determine the cause of excessive tearing. He or she may:
- Irrigate your tear drainage system with fluid to make sure the pathway is open
- Measure tear production
- Measure eye pressure
- Illuminate the tear drain with a fluorescent dye test
- Perform computerized tomography (CT) scanning
Once your eye doctor has determined the cause, treatment may include one or more of the following:
- Surgical opening of a blocked drainage system
- Surgery to repair an injured drainage system
- Removal of any foreign bodies in the eye
- Adding a new opening from the lacrimal sac into the nose
- Use of lubricating eye drops or ointment
- Insertion of an artificial tear duct
- Medical treatment for dry eye
- Occlusion of the tear ducts