In many people, tears well up in the eye too often and at inconvenient times because the tears are not draining properly.  Excess tears give the eye an overly moist appearance, can spray onto glasses during each blink, and can overflow onto the cheek creating a constant mess, sometimes even irritating the skin.
Small glands located in the surface tissue on the white of the eye
and lining the eyelids constantly produce small quantities of lubricating tears to keep the eye healthy and the vision fresh.  The larger lacrimal gland  located under the upper eyelid responds to emotions or eye irritation by producing a larger and immediate quantity of tears.

After smoothly flowing across the eye's surface with each blink, tears enter a small opening in each eye lid (the punctum) and drain through a small canal (canaliculus) into the lacrimal sac and down the nasolacrimal duct  into the nose (see diagram).  This explains why we get sniffles when we cry, since excess tears reach the nose through a normal tear drainage system.

Improper tear drainage and overflow tearing can be caused by several eye problems.  Malposition of the eyelids or punctum, weak or faulty blinking, old or recurrent  eyelid infections with scarring, or previous injury to the nose or face are common reasons for excess tearing.  Sometimes, even dry eyes can cause tearing as a reflex from an eye desperate for more moisture.

A thorough examination by an Eye MD, your area's ophthalmologist, is necessary to determine the reason for the excess tearing and expertly solve the problem without delay.  Treatment depends on the exact cause, and only an Eye MD can repair an eyelid or correct a drainage problem.  If the tear drainage system is blocked, surgery to open or bypass the blockage would be necessary.

This surgery is known as dacryocystorhinostomy or DCR. This requires an incision between the nose and the eyelid to gain access to the drainage sac and open the bone under general anesthesia, restoring flow back into the nose from the tear sac.

Eye disease can occur at any age.  Many eye diseases do not cause symptoms until the disease has done irreversible damage to your vision.  Since most blindness is preventable if diagnosed and treated early, regular medical examinations by an Eye MD are very important.  Why an Eye MD?  Because an ophthalmologist is the highest trained and capable physician for your eye and provides total eye care (medical, surgical and optical) for your entire family.

Jeffrey T. Liegner, MD of Eye Care Northwest  is the area's only physician and Board certified Eye MD trained and using this minimally invasive endoscopic DCR laser system.  His office and surgical facility is located at 350 Sparta Avenue in Sparta, New Jersey, phone 973-729-5757.