What Causes Excessive Tearing in the Eye?

In a healthy eye, tears are produced at the same rate which they are drained from the front of the eyes and allow the tear film to remain stable and sufficient. However, there are conditions which cause the tears to build up and flow onto the cheek.
 

Causes of Excessive Tearing

Any condition which results in excessive tearing or tears running down the face is either a result of increased tear production (lacrimation) or impaired drainage of the tears. Either of these can result in tearing in one eye. Increased tear production can be caused by an infection, an injury to the eye, an eyelash touching the eye, or severe eye inflammation. Causes of reduced tear drainage include narrowing of the punctum which drains tears, turning outward of the lower eyelid, or an unknown obstruction in the nasolacrimal or tear duct. 
 

Tearing Due to Increased Tear Production

If the cause of the excessive tearing is an increase in the tear production, there may be an obvious cause – such as an eyelash which is turned inward – or it may be something less apparent like inflammation within the eye. A scratch or other injury to the eye may be a cause of increased tearing that leads to tears running down the cheek. Other causes of increased tear production include an eye infection on the front or around the eyes.
 

Tearing Due to Reduced Tear Drainage

There may something which is causing the tears to not drain from the front of the eye properly. Anything which blocks or changes the drainage path of tears can lead to tears running down the cheek. Normally, the tears will drain from the front of the eye through a small hole in the lower eyelid called the punctum and then into the tear duct within the nasal cavity. Since the tear duct is the end of the drainage pathway, any problems from the tear duct back towards the eye’s surface can lead to excessive tearing. If there is a physical blockage or narrowing of the drainage system, there can be tearing from reduced drainage. Additionally, there can be changes to the eyelid which reduce the ability of the tears to properly drain. The most common of these types of changes is outward turning of the eyelid called ectropion.
 

Diagnosing the Cause of Excessive Tearing

If one eye is tearing excessively and causing problems such as tears on the cheek or blurred vision between blinks, an eye exam can help to determine the cause of the problem. An eye doctor will evaluate the eye and the structures of the tear drainage system. Additional tests may be needed to accurately diagnose the cause of the tearing such as flushing the tear drainage system or checking for bacteria in the tears.
 

How is Eye Tearing Treated? 

To treat excessive tearing, the root cause of the tearing must be identified and treated. If the cause of the tearing is an obstruction of unknown cause in the tear drainage system, either a saline flush or surgical procedure can be used.

Our eye doctor at The Optical Centre in Longmont, CO excels in prescription of glasses, contact lenses and the diagnosis of a variety of eye diseases. Call our optometrist at 303-772-6650 or schedule an eye exam appointment online if you would like to learn more about or are experiencing excessive tearing. Our eye doctor, Dr. Erica Whitmire provides the highest quality optometry services and eye exams in Longmont, Colorado and its surrounding areas.