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Tearing of the eyes is a common problem that most do not attach much importance to. After all, the production of tears is a process carried out in a natural state in the body continuously. Their secretion is the function of the lacrimal glands. In the future, tears are evenly distributed over the cornea of the eye, after which they are in a special reservoir with the help of the thinnest lacrimal canaliculi. After that, through the lacrimal streams located near the nose, they are finally released to the outside.
Tearing is observed if there are violations in this process. The mechanism of its occurrence is of two types: hypersecretory and retention. In the first case, tearing is associated with excessive production of tears. With the retention mechanism, lacrimal discharge is due to obstruction or impaired patency of the lacrimal ducts. But regardless of the cause that caused this problem, it is necessary to pay attention to tearing, since it often indicates the development of a number of diseases.
Certain vitamins and minerals can be useful in various pathological conditions of the organs of vision.
Eye tear symptoms
Tears are a product of the secretion of the lacrimal glands. In the body, they perform an important function, cleansing the mucous membrane of the eye from bacteria and foreign particles. In a normal state, a person releases up to 1 ml of tears per day. At the same time, external stimuli do not affect the lacrimal glands.
With increased tearing, the volume of fluid released in some cases reaches 10 ml, which is its main symptom. In some cases, its symptoms also include photophobia, redness of the eyes.
The problem of lacrimation should not be confused with ordinary tears when crying. Although this process is also accompanied by redness and fluid from the nose, it is short-term and caused by psycho-emotional stress. When the stress passes, the person calms down and stops crying. With lacrimation, it is not possible to stop the release of fluid for a long time.
Why are the eyes teary? Causes of the disease
Inflammation of the cornea or mucous membrane leads to tearing of the eyes. Irritation can be caused by the following reasons:
Stress. At first glance, the connection with the nervous system of inflammatory processes in the eyes is not obvious. However, it is psychosomatic phenomena that often provoke tearing. If there are no other symptoms of diseases of the cornea or mucous membrane, then attention should be paid to psycho-emotional factors. Perhaps they were the cause of the tears. Patients who are constantly in a state of stress cannot cope with this problem with the help of traditional methods and means: eye drops, pharmaceutical preparations. Therefore, if within a month such treatment is ineffective, you should seek advice not from an ophthalmologist, but from a neurologist or psychotherapist.
Allergy. The body can react with increased tearing to external stimuli. Cosmetics, pollen, animal hair or fluff, dust often become an allergen. For some, allergies are seasonal and worsen in spring and summer. At the same time, tearing and redness of the eyes are observed, they are very itchy. This phenomenon is known as allergic conjunctivitis. Among its main symptoms are also eyelid edema, the formation of follicles on the conjunctiva, corneal damage up to visual impairment. The main problem with lacrimation caused by allergies is determining what exactly is causing the inflammation. In women, eye cosmetics act as an allergen: mascara, shadows, eyeliner. For this reason, you should not save on these funds. High-quality cosmetics will avoid tearing, as well as more serious vision problems.
Foreign body. When a mote gets on the mucous membrane or cornea, the eyes begin to water. Such a protective reaction of the body allows you to speed up the process of getting rid of a foreign body. With tears, it is displayed in the corner of the eye, and then you can try to gently remove it. This should be done very carefully. You can not rub the eye, so as not to scratch the cornea. If, in addition to tearing, there is pain, redness, and it is not possible to remove the foreign body on its own, you should immediately contact an ophthalmologist.
Incorrectly fitted glasses or contact lenses. Before buying glasses or lenses, you should consult an ophthalmologist. He must determine what exactly needs to be used in accordance with the given vision parameters to be corrected. In some cases, tearing and irritation is a reaction to a disinfectant solution for contact lenses. In this case, you need to replace it with a better one. It is important to change contact lenses on time, be sure to remove them at night and leave them in solution. In addition, you need to try to give your eyes more rest. To do this, if possible, it is recommended to remove lenses and glasses during the day, to perform gymnastics. Compliance with such simple rules will help to avoid tearing.
Corneal injury. It can be both mechanical damage and a burn. It appears after exposure to direct ultraviolet rays, for example, after sunbathing, visiting a solarium, and also as a result of exposure to welding. In case of a burn, the eyes should be treated with an antiseptic, and then drops should be instilled or an antiseptic ointment should be applied.
Migraine. Lachrymation in some cases comes along with severe headaches. Unlike colds, when complex treatment is necessary to normalize the functioning of the lacrimal glands, with migraines this happens naturally. Traditional methods of getting rid of migraine headaches are ineffective, so the patient must stay in bed, staying in a cool room until the condition improves. As a rule, when all the unpleasant sensations pass, the tearing also disappears. Since it can be accompanied by photophobia and discomfort in the eyes, it is recommended to stay in a darkened room for the duration of the attack.
Dry eye syndrome
Tearing is one of the common manifestations of dry eye syndrome. In addition to lacrimation, patients may experience itching, burning, redness, and a feeling of “sand” in the eyes.
Many causes contribute to the development of the syndrome, for example, prolonged visual stress, wearing lenses, dry air, certain diseases and medications. In such cases, the ocular surface does not receive the proper quality of moisture and, as a compensation, the production of tears increases, but at the same time, lacrimation does not bring relief to the eye.
When a syndrome occurs, the eyes must be helped and eliminate unpleasant symptoms. Drops of tear substitutes will be an excellent tool.
An example of such drops can be Cationorm, Okutiarz or Oftagel:
Cationnorm. If the discomfort and tearing of the eyes are pronounced and appear in the morning and throughout the day, you can use the cationic emulsion Cationorm. The drug quickly relieves symptoms, restores all three layers of the tear film and prevents the development of the syndrome. The drops do not contain preservatives and can be used on contact lenses.
Okutiarz. With periodic dry eyes that occur in the late afternoon, after a long visual load, drops based on hyaluronic acid of supermolecular weight – Okutiars will help.
Okutiarz immediately eliminates lacrimation and dry eyes, does not contain preservatives and can be applied to contact lenses (convenient during the period of getting used to the lenses, when taking them off / putting them on). Okutiarz is often prescribed after eye surgery: LASIK, PRK, cataract extraction. Drops have a long shelf life after opening – 6 months.
Oftagel. In situations where it is not possible to instill moisturizing drops during the day, a gel with a maximum concentration of carbomer – Oftagel may be a good choice. The drug is suitable for people with complaints of episodic dry eyes and effectively eliminates lacrimation. The gel can be used once a day, for example, at night, while moisturizing and comfort in the eyes will remain throughout the day.
Tear substitutes help relieve the symptoms of a “dry” eye, including tearing, but you need to get expert advice (the article is for informational purposes only).
Elderly patients experience increased tear production more frequently than younger or middle-aged patients. This is due to the fact that after 50 years, changes in the structure and work of the lacrimal ducts begin, muscles weaken. In medicine, this phenomenon is known as “dry eye syndrome” or dry keratoconjunctivitis.
It occurs due to increased evaporation of tears. Despite the excessive secretion of tears, they are not enough to wet the mucous membrane and cornea. Patients with dry keratoconjunctivitis feel burning, itching, fatigue in the eyes. There may be a feeling that foreign bodies or sand have fallen into them. All symptoms are worse towards the end of the day. The surface of the eye is damaged as a result of these processes, due to which patients experience discomfort and increased sensitivity to bright light. Excessive tearing does not help to moisturize the mucous membrane, since such tears are of the watery type, that is, they are produced in the form of a response of the body to irritation.
With dry keratoconjunctivitis, you should limit the time you read books, watch TV, use a computer. This leads to a decrease in the frequency of blinking, which is why moistening completely stops and unpleasant sensations intensify. You should also avoid smoky, dusty and too dry rooms, be less outdoors in the wind and refuse to use air conditioning. “Dry eye syndrome” in the form of tearing can occur periodically. Despite this, this disease should be treated, as it can lead to visual impairment.
Lack of vitamins B2 and A
Improper nutrition and lack of essential trace elements in the body in some cases provokes tearing. Vitamin B2 or riboflavin is found in fish, eggs, liver, kidneys, cereals, mushrooms, tomatoes, green leafy vegetables, apricots, peanuts. These products must be present in the daily diet of every person. Patients whose lacrimation is caused by a lack of riboflavin should take it in the form of a dietary supplement.
Vitamin A or retinol is another important element for the normal functioning of the eyes. Its chronic lack in the body leads to the development of xerophthalmia. This disease involves a violation of the structure of the protective epithelium that lines the cornea, which leads to the loss of its transparency, drying. As a result, the cornea turns into a thorn. During this process, the lacrimal glands do not wash the surface of the eye. As a result, the cornea dies, which leads to loss of vision.
Along with tearing, xerophthalmia manifests itself through the sensation of a foreign body in the eye, in the form of photophobia. In patients with this disease, the quality of vision can drastically decrease. If the cause of xerophthalmia was a lack of vitamin A, you need to eat more beef liver, cheese, dark green vegetables and fruits: carrots, sweet peppers, parsley, lettuce, be sure to add butter and cream to the diet in moderation.
Watery eyes with a cold
Colds, in addition to a runny nose and pain in the nasopharynx, are accompanied by lacrimation. It is caused by inflammation that develops in the paranasal sinuses, known as sinusitis.
This complication of a cold or flu is manifested in the form of thick mucous discharge from the nose, which swells. A patient with sinusitis has difficulty breathing, discomfort and pain in the head area. There are discomfort and tearing in the eyes. All symptoms are interconnected, so it will not be possible to cope with each individually. To eliminate the lacrimation that has arisen with a cold, it is necessary to identify its causes and conduct a comprehensive treatment. This symptom should not be ignored. After all, tearing occurs due to blockage of the lacrimal canal, which prevents the removal of mucus from the nose, so the fluid exits through the lacrimal canals.
Sinusitis is diagnosed by x-ray of the paranasal sinuses, and then the doctor prescribes medicines based on the results. With timely treatment, it is possible to get rid of lacrimation in a short time and without any consequences.
If the eye of a newborn is watery
Dacryocystitis is an infectious inflammation in the lacrimal canal in a newborn and is eliminated mainly by conservative methods of treatment. In rare cases, surgery is required. Treatment must be carried out without fail, as the disease can become chronic.
Dacryocystitis is diagnosed most often in the first month of a child’s life. While the fetus is in the womb, a gelatinous plug forms in its lacrimal-nasal canal. It protects the baby’s lungs from amniotic fluid. When the baby is born, the cork bursts. As a result of this, the lacrimal canal opens, thanks to which tears perform their main function – they wash the eyeball. The gelatinous cork may not break through. There is a stagnation of tears, they cannot go outside, as a result, an environment favorable for the reproduction of bacteria and microorganisms is formed.
The main symptoms of dacryocystitis: tearing, redness of the eyes, purulent discharge. In its manifestation and external signs, this disease is similar to conjunctivitis, but there is a significant difference. Dacryocystitis usually causes unilateral inflammation. After sleep, souring of one of the eyes may occur. If you press on it at the same time, a purulent liquid is released from it. Tearing is observed from only one eye.
If symptoms of dacryocystitis are detected in a newborn, it is necessary to consult a doctor. Treatment involves periodically washing the inflamed eye with a decoction of chamomile or strongly brewed black tea. Of the pharmaceutical preparations, Albucil drops are usually used.
Why does a child have watery eyes?
The most common causes of tearing in children are the following:
Colds. With ORS and influenza, children have very watery eyes. Lachrymation often accompanies a runny nose. This phenomenon does not require separate treatment for a cold. It is necessary to eliminate its cause, and then the lacrimation will also pass.
Foreign body. Small children, when foreign objects or specks get into the eye, begin to rub their faces strongly with their hands. In this case, washing with tea leaves or chamomile decoction should be performed. Lachrymation will help to remove the foreign body. You should not allow the child to comb the eye and touch it with your hands, so as not to damage the cornea and mucous membrane.
Allergy. It manifests itself not only through lacrimation, but also in the form of other symptoms: sneezing, redness of the eyes. The allergen should be identified and then treated appropriately.
Conjunctivitis. This inflammatory disease of the membrane of the eye can be bacterial, allergic, chronic and acute. But in all cases, similar symptoms are observed: itching, redness of the eyes, increased tearing. The whites of the eyes, due to broken capillaries, acquire a characteristic red tint. This is the first symptom of conjunctivitis. In the morning, before the eyes of the child, you can find dried crusts. They should be carefully removed with lotions from strong black tea. Children also complain of burning and pain in the eyes.
The danger of conjunctivitis lies in the fact that it is transmitted by airborne droplets. Therefore, a sick child should be isolated from other children until complete recovery. It should be explained to the baby that you can not touch your eyes with dirty hands, use individual devices for hygiene procedures, and in the pool – special glasses to protect your eyes from chlorinated water.
pathology and trauma. In some children, the structure of the nasolacrimal canal was disturbed from birth, and an abnormal structure of the nose was revealed. Tearing can also be caused by damage to the tubules. Such pathologies are determined during radiography.
Author of the article: Degtyareva Marina Vitalievna, ophthalmologist, ophthalmologist