Patients with a dry eye often complain of tearing. When the amount of lubricating tears secreted is too low to maintain necessary moisture for the eye, the large lacrimal gland often reacts by producing additional tears which causes episodes of overflow tearing, even though the underlying problem is too few lubricating tears or dry eyes. A thorough examination by Dr. Meyers is necessary to determine which of these problems is causing excessive tearing. He or she may attempt to irrigate fluid through the tear drainage system and into the nose. Other tests such as measuring tear production or recovering tears from the nose may also be performed.
Treatment depends on the exact cause.
If excess tears are caused by an in-turned eyelash, the offending eyelash is removed. Abnormalities of the eyelids may require surgery. If the tear drainage system is blocked, surgery to open or bypass the blockage may be necessary. The type of surgery depends on the location of the blockage. If the problem is dry eyes, artificial tear replacement or even closure of the tear drainage puncta may be helpful.