The eye stings and waters: what are the causes and how to treat?

In this article we will tell you:

• What does tear fluid consist of?
• Excessive tearing
• Hypersecretory epiphora
• Retention epiphora
• Watery eyes and contact lenses
• Watery eyes: treatment

Joy and sadness, pain and relief - how many emotions in our everyday life are associated with tears! We start life with them, we meet and see off our dear people with them. Without even thinking about it, we use our tears every day to keep our eyes healthy.

However, sometimes lacrimation can become too strong - and this pathological condition can be explained. A watery eye in an adult: causes, possible diseases and treatment methods - in our article.

Tear fluid

- a special secret produced by paired lacrimal glands located in the lacrimal fossa: a special depression in the frontal bone, on the outer side of the eye sockets. The fluid flows through the excretory canaliculi from the glands into the conjunctival sac and accumulates under the lower eyelid. The function of the upper eyelid is its distribution over the surface of the eyeball.

The lacrimal fluid that has fulfilled its purpose is discharged through special drainage tracts - lacrimal stream, lake and canaliculi - into the lower nasal passage, where it continues to provide benefits by moisturizing the mucous surface. Its remains evaporate there.

Table of contents:

Causes of tearing Classification Symptoms and diagnosis Treatment of tearing eyes Prevention
Tearing is a natural process. The fluid secreted by the tear glands moisturizes the surface of the eye and protects the mucous membrane from dust and other particles. Excessive lacrimation occurs during inflammatory processes. It signals the development of ophthalmopathology. Treatment of tearing eyes should be carried out under the supervision of a doctor, since if treated incorrectly, the infection can lead to suppuration and deterioration of vision.

What does tear fluid consist of?

The composition of the secretion of the lacrimal glands is similar to plasma: up to 98% water, the rest is organic compounds, fats, proteins, carbohydrates, enzymes and inorganic substances, including sodium chloride. Just like a drop of blood, a tear can tell a lot about what ails a person. Its composition constantly changes depending on the state of the body, so analysis of tear fluid is informative in the diagnosis of certain diseases.

Features of the composition help tears:

• moisturize the external tissues of the organ of vision and nasopharynx.
• saturate them with nutrients.
• heal corneal injuries.
• protect your eyes from germs.

The enzyme lysozyme, a natural antibiotic with bactericidal and antiviral properties, is responsible for the latter function. It destroys the membranes of pathogenic cells and creates an antibacterial barrier on the mucous membranes of the eye.

The protective function of the tear fluid also lies in mechanical cleansing: when foreign particles enter the eye, more secretion is released, and the tear stream washes away the debris.

In addition, some hormones are removed from the body with tear fluid. In stressful situations, when emotions run high, tears bring relief: this is due to a decrease in the concentration of adrenaline and, as a result, emotional release.

Causes of tearing

The causes of lacrimation can be divided into 2 groups: physiological and pathological. The first ones are temporary and do not pose a danger to the organs of vision. These include weather conditions, stress, fatigue, colds, and vitamin deficiency. Incorrectly selected lenses or glasses, eye strain can also cause watery eyes.

Pathological processes that cause tearing include:

• Conjunctivitis. The inflammatory disease is accompanied not only by tearing, but by redness of the eyes, a burning sensation and itching.
• Glaucoma. Lacrimation is noted along with increased intraocular pressure in this pathology.
• Dry eye syndrome. Develops under the influence of high temperatures, overvoltage when working at a computer or reading. It is not particularly dangerous, but can become a starting point for the development of ophthalmopathologies.
• Dacryocystitis. An infectious disease characterized by tearing and purulent discharge. Often diagnosed in newborns.
• Allergy. When an allergen affects the nasal mucosa, excess fluid is excreted along with tears. An allergic reaction, along with tearing, is accompanied by sneezing, coughing, and itching.

Pathological causes of lacrimation also include disruption or damage to the lacrimal canaliculi, incorrect anatomical structure of the nose or eyes.

Allergy

An allergic reaction is also a fairly common cause, which is manifested by the symptom of stinging eyes. Moreover, due to allergies, the same conjunctivitis often occurs. At the same time, it is not at all difficult to distinguish temporary eye irritation from permanent allergies. If the eyes sting when any irritant appears and tears flow from certain substances nearby, then these symptoms will not disappear until their cause - the allergen - is eliminated.

Allergy treatment should also be comprehensive. Here it is necessary to use eye drops to eliminate irritation of the mucous membrane and additionally take antihistamines that suppress the reaction to the allergen. It is also very important to watch your diet.

Symptoms and diagnosis

The main symptom is excessive uncontrolled lacrimation for no apparent reason. It can last for several days without stopping. If you have such a symptom, you should immediately contact an ophthalmologist.

To diagnose the cause of tearing, hardware and instrumental methods are used. First, the patency of the tear ducts is checked using a color test. When there is lacrimation, a colored solution is instilled into the eyes, after which its time of passage through the nasal cavity is noted. If there is a suspicion of its narrowing, contrast X-ray diagnostics are performed.

If glaucoma is suspected, IOP is measured. To diagnose ophthalmological pathologies with tearing, fundus examination, biomicroscopy, and ultrasound of the eye are used. If the cause of lacrimation is not established, a conclusion is drawn about eye strain or exposure to external factors.

Detergents and cosmetics

These are probably the main and most common causes of pinching eyes. In other words, when using certain detergents or cosmetics, sometimes irritation of the mucous membranes occurs, which leads to such discomfort. This is a natural reaction of the body, which in any way wants to get rid of the irritant. In this case, it is enough to rinse your eyes well with plenty of warm running water and blot them with a clean napkin, and the unpleasant sensation will go away.

Sometimes when the eyes tingle, they may become red and remain for some time. In this case, you should use special eye drops that relieve irritation, which are a good idea to have in your first aid kit. They are instilled immediately after washing the eyes according to the instructions, which very quickly relieves the burning sensation and eliminates lacrimation. Usually one day is enough for the eyes to completely return to normal. But if the cause of eye irritation is an allergy, everything turns out to be somewhat more complicated. In the meantime, a few words about decorative cosmetics.

It is very important for every woman to have a beautiful appearance, because this is 99% of the success of any endeavor. Therefore, women will use it everywhere and always. However, the wrong selection of makeup products, especially those applied dangerously close to the eyes, can lead to severe irritation and allergic reactions.

As a result, the eyes sting, they become hyperemic and watery. At the same time, all the beautiful appearance goes down the drain. Therefore, it is very important to carefully select eye cosmetics and use a bio-series that includes natural ingredients, or special makeup options for sensitive skin. Eye mascara deserves special attention. It should be noted that most women in cosmetics stores like to use testers - trial samples of mascara. But this is a very high risk of tick infestation. Such an infection causes itching, burning and pain in the eyelash area. So, no one has canceled the hygiene rules yet.

Treatment of teary eyes

If your eyes are watery, drug therapy is used for treatment. When an inflammatory process is diagnosed, a number of drugs are prescribed:

• antibiotics;
• antihistamines;
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

To eliminate tearing, use drops that relieve itching and swelling. For inflammatory processes, physiotherapy may be prescribed, such as phototherapy, electrophoresis, and magnetic therapy.

For dry eye syndrome, if a person has to work for a long time in the wind, in smoky or dusty rooms, or at a computer, moisturizing drops that imitate natural tear fluid are prescribed. The composition of the preparations is as close as possible to natural tears and does not cause discomfort when instilled.

Surgery is a last resort measure that is used when the tear ducts are blocked or the upper or lower eyelid is everted. If the lacrimal canal is blocked, which often happens in infants, they resort to balloon dacryocystoplasty in children or dacryocystorhinostomy.

During the first type of surgery, a guidewire with an expansion balloon is inserted into the hole in the corner of the eye and filled with fluid. Under pressure it expands the duct.

For adults, dacryocystorhinostomy is used. A new duct is created between the lacrimal sac and the nasal cavity, going around the blocked one. Laser and endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy remain more modern and effective methods of surgical treatment of tearing.

If lacrimation occurs, it is important to promptly consult an ophthalmologist. Do not forget that the symptom may be a manifestation of an inflammatory process leading to deterioration of vision. Some pathologies with tearing lead to atrophy of the optic nerve, and sometimes blindness. Elimination of complications may require more funds.

Tears as a symptom of pathology

Excessive secretion of tear fluid occurs when the balance between the production of secretion and its removal is disturbed.
From the outside it may seem that the person is crying all the time. Lacrimation can be retentional or hypersecretory. In the first case, the causes of lacrimation from the eyes in elderly and young patients are associated with impaired fluid drainage through physiological channels. The secretion is produced in sufficient quantities, but due to blockage of the duct it is not discharged into the nasal cavity. With hypersecretory lacrimation, the eyes of an adult become watery due to disruption of the lacrimal glands. When they produce too much secretion, it simply does not have time to be eliminated through physiological channels.

Prevention

To prevent lacrimation, you must follow a number of recommendations:

• wear sunglasses;
• do not rub your eyes, make sure that no dirt gets into them;
• use high-quality cosmetics;
• maintain personal hygiene;
• promptly treat viral diseases;
• do eye exercises to relieve the optic nerve after heavy loads;
• Use moisturizing drops for dry eye syndrome.

If you are concerned about lacrimation, you can make an appointment with an ophthalmologist at the Santa Clinic in Chelyabinsk. The doctor will conduct a full examination to determine the cause of the discomfort. Based on the test results, adequate treatment for tearing will be prescribed. To make an appointment, just call and choose a convenient time.

Tearing and burning in the eyes: causes of the pathological condition

One of the common causes of increased tear production is blockage of the tear ducts. It occurs as a result of injury, infection, age-related narrowing of the lumen, or surgery. In some cases, watery eyes occur because the tear duct is blocked by a cyst or tumor. There are other causes of watery eyes in older people, as well as young patients:

• Eversion of the eyelid (ectropion). This condition is accompanied by the formation of a cavity between the lower eyelid and the conjunctiva, which leads to confusion of the lacrimal opening. Most often, ectropion occurs due to the growth of tumors, surgery, or poor visual hygiene. In the absence of therapy, eyelid inversion can become complicated to blepharitis or conjunctivitis.
• Iridocyclitis. Inflammation of the ciliary body and iris is often accompanied by severe pain, photophobia, constriction of the pupil, blepharospasms, and profuse lacrimation.
• Keratitis. Constantly watery eyes are one of the signs of corneal inflammation. The inflammatory process can rapidly progress and spread deep into the eyeball. Therefore, keratitis requires timely treatment by an ophthalmologist.
• Conjunctivitis. In addition to excessive production of secretion from the lacrimal glands, seasonal allergic conjunctivitis is characterized by burning in the eyes, photophobia, hyperemia and swelling of the eyelids. If we are talking about an infectious disease, the appearance of purulent discharge from the eyes is added to these symptoms.

Sometimes lacrimation occurs from one eye in an adult due to inflammation of the facial nerve or paralysis of the facial muscles. In this case, the lower eyelid moves, so the eye does not close completely. To prevent the conjunctiva from drying out, the lacrimal glands increase secretion production.

Inexpensive anti-lacrimation medications

The most inexpensive and at the same time effective means for combating severe lacrimation include:

• moisturizing the mucous membrane of the eye - “Opcon-A” and “Vizin”;
• antibacterial and anti-inflammatory - “Gentamicin”, “Torbex”, “Levomycetin”, “Normax”, “Albucid”;
• hormonal, broad-spectrum - "Dexamethasone";
• antiallergic - "Lecrolin" and "Opatanol";
• vasoconstrictors - “Tobradex” and “Sofradex”.

Why do my eyes water on the street?

So, we have found out how the lacrimal organs are structured, as well as the role of the fluid in protecting the eyes. And it was noted above that its excessive release is a sign of the influence of external or internal factors. It is not uncommon to experience watery eyes on the street. Why might this happen?

The main reason is weather conditions. This phenomenon is often observed in the cold season - frost in winter, cold winds in different seasons, snowstorms. Tear fluid evaporates faster, and the channels begin to produce it more intensely to protect the eyes from drying out. Doctors recommend protecting your eyesight during the cold season and not eating a lot of salty foods, as this causes water retention in the body.

It also explains why eyes become very watery outside and in the warm season. This happens when we accidentally look at the bright sun or spend a long time in unusual conditions, for example, this is possible on vacation in a hot tropical country. Under such conditions, the mucous membrane is also susceptible to drying out more quickly, so the tear ducts begin to intensively produce fluid. In such situations, ophthalmologists advise using sunglasses, as well as special means (drops, ointments).

How anti-tear eye drops work

The effectiveness of eye drops is explained by the fact that they directly indicate an immediate effect on the cause of the symptom. Any discomfort (pain, redness, increased sensitivity, etc.) after using the drops should go away within a few minutes. However, if the cause of tearing is associated with internal disorders in the body, for example, with an allergic reaction, then it is impossible to eliminate the disease with eye drops alone, despite the fact that they effectively combat the symptoms. In this case, additional treatment with drugs aimed at treating allergies will be required.

Antibacterial agents

One of the effective antibiotics for eliminating lacrimation in inflammatory diseases of the organs of vision is Okomistin - eye drops whose action is based on miramistin. They are applied topically and immediately begin to actively influence gram-positive and gram-negative microorganisms, some types of viruses, fungi, chlamydia and other types of bacteria. "Okomistin" is prescribed for rapid treatment of eye pathologies such as: keratouveitis, acute conjunctivitis, keratitis of any etiology, blepharoconjunctivitis. When used with other antibiotics, the drug has an enhancing antifungal and antibacterial effect.

"Albucid" The most common bacteriostatic and antiseptic drug for topical use. The drug contains sulfonamide, which suppresses many pathogenic microorganisms - gonococci, chlamydia, toxoplasma, streptococci and others, preventing their reproduction. Its advantages are low price and sufficient effectiveness in the initial stages of the disease. Can be used even during pregnancy and for newborns.

“Floxal” The active ingredient of the drops is ofloxacin, a component that has an active effect on various pathogenic microorganisms. It is effective even in treating diseases caused by bacteria that are resistant to most antibiotics.

What do you need to know when using medicinal drops?

The causes of increased lacrimation can be very different; we have listed them above. You should not engage in self-diagnosis, but you need to visit a specialist to determine the etiology of this phenomenon. If during therapy unpleasant sensations occur in the eye area, especially when pus and inflammation appear, instillations should be stopped immediately and consult a specialist for advice. He will identify the cause and prescribe another drug. Remember - only competent and timely treatment can bring the expected effect.

MagazinLinz.ru team