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What are The Causes of Tearing? – Treatment

Causes of Tearing and Treatment. Tearing or otherwise known as epiphora is a condition in which the tear duct overflows. According to Medicalnewstoday – “An overflow of tears on the cheek, due to imperfect drainage by the tear-conducting passages.” Over-Production of Tears – possibly caused by an irritant in the eye. Blocked Ducts. – causes the … Read more

Causes of Tearing

The tear film on the surface of the eye is a critical component of maintaining vision. Tears nourish and lubricate the surface of the eye as well as wash away debris. If there is a disturbance of the tear film, patients will often experience tearing, burning, irritation and most importantly blurred vision. Patients who experience tearing, or epiphora, either have a problem with tear production or tear drainage, including dry eyes, blepharitis, eyelid malposition (ectropion, entropion, eyelid retraction), nasolacrimal duct(tear duct) obstruction (congenital and acquired).

Increased Tear Production and Dry Eyes

As odd as it sounds, the most common cause of tearing is dry eyes. If your eye doesn’t make enough tears, the lacrimal gland responds by secreting watery tears that don’t stick to the eye. So despite the tears spilling from your lids, the eye continues to be dry. The eye has two sets of structures that produce tears. Smaller tear glands help maintain a baseline level of moisture on the surface of the eye. Unfortunately, inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogrens disease as well as aging and menopause lead to decreased tear production. As tear production diminishes, the surface of the eye starts to dry out.

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