Your eyes can water or tear up for many reasons, including weather, allergies or, more seriously, an infection. If you find yourself tearing up suddenly, pay attention to what you're doing or the environmental factors you're being exposed to when it occurs, as this might help explain why it's happening.
Watery eyes may clear up on their own. If the problem results from dry eyes or eye irritation, you may find it helpful to use artificial tears or place warm compresses over your eyes for several minutes. If watery eyes persist, make an appointment with your doctor.
The most common cause of watering eyes among adults and older children is blocked ducts or ducts that are too narrow. Narrowed tear ducts usually develop as a result of swelling or inflammation. If the tear ducts are narrowed or blocked, tears will not drain away and will build up in the tear sac.
Dry eye symptoms include a dry, gritty or burning sensation in the eyes, redness, watery or teary eyes and mucus that make the eyes feel "glued shut" after sleeping. Many people also report the feeling of something in the eye or eyestrain. Itching and light sensitivity may also occur.
Good eye hygiene, including removing makeup at night and keeping the eyes clean by wiping the closed eyes with a clean, warm washcloth, can help reduce the eye discharge. In people with dry eyes, eye drops may also help.
Carefully clean the eyelids using a warm, wet washcloth if tears build up and leave crusts. For infants, you may try gently massaging the area 2 to 3 times a day. Using a clean finger, rub the area from the inside corner of the eye toward the nose. This may help to open the tear duct.
Painful swelling near the inside corner of the eye. Crusting of the eyelids. Mucus or pus discharge from the lids and surface of the eye. Blurred vision.
That's because lack of sleep tends to increase the retention of blood and fluid around the eyes.
Warm compresses help to reduce the sticky buildup of discharge on the eyelids or crust that forms on your eyelashes, while cold compresses help to relieve itching and inflammation. If you have allergic conjunctivitis, it's important to avoid rubbing the eye, since this can worsen your symptoms.
Salt Water. Saline or salt water is the time tested natural remedies to treat eye infections. Saltwater facilitates to clear away pus, dirt or discharge, it functions like teardrops which are eye's natural way of cleansing.
The most common reason your eye produces green or gray mucus is due to a bacterial eye infection. Bacterial conjunctivitis may cause your eyelids to be glued shut when you wake up in the morning. Pyogenic bacteria or microorganisms that produce pus causes this kind of infection.
What could be causing my watery eye discharge? If you have a large amount of watery eye discharge you may have viral conjunctivitis (also known as 'pink eye'), or allergic conjunctivitis. If you have viral conjunctivitis, one or both of your eyes may be red and uncomfortable, with watery or white discharge.
Most cases of viral conjunctivitis are mild. The infection will usually clear up in 7 to 14 days without treatment and without any long-term consequences.
Use cool or warm compresses. Switch to glasses if you typically wear contact lenses. Use eye drops (antihistamine drops may be especially helpful for allergic eye discharge symptoms). Use artificial tears if your eyes are dry.