The human eye is a very sensitive organ, so going outside, especially in windy weather, can cause watery eyes. The eyes react to any changes in the external environment, trying to adapt to them. In some cases, lacrimation is a natural protective reaction of the body, and in some cases it may be the reason for contacting an ophthalmologist. This problem is familiar to many, therefore it is important to understand why tears begin to flow from the eyes when going outside. After all, it is one thing when they are just slightly moistened, and quite another when the flow of tears cannot be stopped.
Why watery eyes on the street?
There are several reasons that can cause lacrimation when going outside:
The most common and harmless reason for the appearance of tears from the eyes when the lighting changes and with gusts of wind is the body’s natural defensive reaction. Tears moisturize the mucous membrane of the organ of vision from drying out and other possible damage. The body, thus, is trying to correct the situation and fluid begins to stand out from the eyes. You should not worry if the number of tears is insignificant and after the removal of the irritating factor, they stop.
When the problem of lacrimation on the street lies in incorrectly selected glasses for vision correction, then you need to contact an ophthalmologist and tell him about your problem. Glasses should not cause discomfort, and a person should see through them perfectly, without distorting the picture.
The appearance of tears on the street can be caused by excessive eye strain. It happens that a person tries to look closely at an object, for a long time he concentrates his gaze on one place. If too bright sunlight or gusts of wind are added to this, the result will be tears in the eyes. Thus, the eye will be protected from drying out.
Watery eyes on the street can also be due to overwork. Often a similar phenomenon is observed in drivers, in people who work at a computer for a long time. Therefore, when going out into the street, an additional load arises on the eyes and tears begin to flow from them.
If a person wearing glasses has a similar problem on the street, then perhaps the reason for the release of tears lies in the fact that they were incorrectly selected. During a walk, the load on vision increases and tears appear.
Wearing lenses can cause profuse tearing on the street. In the case when they even slightly irritate the organ of vision, the eye will be in tension all the time. With the appearance of other irritating factors, which are the wind and sunlight, profuse lacrimation may occur.
Watery eyes on the street can be due to the ingress of a foreign body into them. It can be street dust, sand, debris particles. Sometimes it is not even possible to understand what caused lacrimation. If it does not stop for a long time, even after washing the eyes, then it is necessary to come for an examination to an ophthalmologist. Especially high is the risk of getting into the organ of vision of a foreign body in strong winds.
An allergic reaction, which is expressed in profuse lacrimation, itching and hyperemia of the eyelids and the mucous membrane of the eye. Being in a room with closed windows, a person does not encounter large volumes of plant pollen. However, when she goes out into the street, she envelops him with an invisible cloud. That is why, people suffering from seasonal allergies experience severe tearing even with a short walk.
Sometimes the cause of profuse lacrimation on the street can be a cosmetic product that contains some kind of aggressive component. Leaving the room in windy or sunny weather in a person, the eyes are naturally moistened. The tear mixes with cosmetics, begins to irritate the organ of vision, resulting in profuse lacrimation.
Increased lacrimation under the influence of environmental factors can occur with a lack of vitamins and nutrients in the body. The eyes are unable to function normally and quickly adapt to changing lighting, so such people have tears flowing profusely on the street.
Conjunctivitis can cause an increased production of tears in the street. This is especially noticeable in the initial stages of the development of the disease, even before discharge begins to appear from the eyes or irritation, pain, and itching occur. Therefore, abundant release of tears on the street can be a sign of the onset of the disease.
The cause of profuse lacrimation on the street can be rhinitis. This is due to the connection of the glands. With an increase in the common cold in windy and cool weather, a person has an increase in the amount of tears released. Therefore, diseases such as SARS, tonsillitis, flu can provoke the appearance of tears on the street.
Such a common dry eye syndrome may well provoke an increase in the volume of tears on the street. This is due to the fact that the organ of vision becomes more sensitive, including to wind and sunlight.
Increased tear secretion in the street is observed in the elderly. This is due to the fact that they have a deteriorating condition of the vessels of the eye and their muscles. In addition, in old age, people often suffer from various eye diseases, which makes the organ of vision more sensitive and vulnerable to environmental factors.
Sometimes the increased release of tears on the street can be explained by a spasm of the tubules through which it passes. In this case, the tear cannot get into the nasal slit, so it comes out when the slightest irritant appears in the form of wind or bright sunlight. Only an ophthalmologist can help in such a situation.
Why do eyes water in winter?
If a person suffers from increased lacrimation on the street during the warm season, then in winter he will almost certainly have a similar problem. To understand its causes, it is worth deciding on the factors that cause increased tearing in the cold.
Among them are the following:
The body’s natural defense reaction. A tear is formed in the eye in order to protect it from external factors, which in this case are frost and wind. Therefore, leaving a warm room in the cold, the organ of vision is additionally moistened with a tear film.
Allergy to cold or the so-called Cold conjunctivitis is the body’s reaction to low ambient temperatures. Due to exposure to cold air, a person releases histamine, which leads to vasodilation, causes reddening of the skin, its swelling, and increases lacrimation. That is, all the signs of a normal allergic reaction are present, only the allergen in this case is frost. Moreover, women are more susceptible to this disease, the average age of the onset of an allergic reaction is 30 years. In addition to watery eyes, a person can experience migraines and even asthma, but the most common symptom after being out in the cold is cold urticaria. It manifests itself in the form of itchy blisters in damaged areas.
Watery eyes in the cold can also be due to the fact that a person spends a long time in a room with too dry air, the moisture from which will evaporate as a result of the central heating. As a result, all mucous membranes dry out – both the nasopharynx and the eye. The organs of vision become more sensitive and, when in the cold, are abundantly moistened with tears.
The remaining causes of lacrimation when outdoors in frost are similar to those that cause it in windy or sunny weather.
How to treat?
Treatment of lacrimation that occurs outdoors in frosty, windy or sunny weather is due to the causes that cause it.
Therefore, to get rid of this feeling of discomfort in the eyes, the following is necessary:
Dry eye syndrome. If a person suffers from dry eye syndrome, then he needs to restore the normal level of moisture in the conjunctiva and cornea. To create a tear film, it is recommended to use drops: Lacrisin, Hypromellose, Vizin, and gels – Korenrgel, Oftagel, Vidisik. Immunotropic and anti-inflammatory, as well as antihistamines, may be indicated. Surgery is required in severe cases where dry eye syndrome causes a xerotic ulcer or corneal perforation.
Overwork. If the eyes on the street are watery from overwork, then during work they need to be given rest and perform special gymnastics, described in more detail in the article: 5 methods to relieve eye fatigue ?. It is important to create the right lighting in the workplace, with a burning sensation and sand in the eyes, you can use drops of artificial tears, such as Okutiarz, Cationorm, Oftagel.
Lenses. If lacrimation on the street is caused by wearing lenses, then it is better to refuse them altogether and switch to glasses for vision correction. Wearing contact lenses persistently and ignoring discomfort can cause your eyesight to deteriorate.
Allergy. For the treatment of allergies, it is necessary to use three categories of eye drops – these are antihistamines, anti-inflammatory, vasoconstrictor.
Eye Vitamins.It is also necessary to pay attention to whether you consume enough vitamins A, B, C, and especially B2 and potassium. They allow the eyes to function better and adapt to environmental conditions.
Conjunctivitis, as the cause of lacrimation, are treated depending on what they were caused by.
Frost.When the cause of lacrimation is an allergy to cold, it is advisable to avoid long-term contact with it. Before you go outside in frosty weather, you need to lubricate your face with a fat cream and wrap it as tightly as possible with a scarf. If possible, you should wear clothes with a hood that covers your eyes from the wind. Antihistamine drops will also help to cope with the problem, which can reduce the severity of allergy symptoms, such as lacrimation, itching, redness.
Author of the article: Degtyareva Marina Vitalievna, ophthalmologist, ophthalmologist