Watering eyes are common and often get better on their own, but treatment may be needed if the watering affects your daily activities.

Causes of watering eyes

It's normal for your eyes to water in smoky environments or if you're outside in the cold or wind.

An eye injury or something in your eye, such as an eyelash or a piece of grit, can also make your eyes water.

Sometimes watering eyes can be caused by a condition such as:

• an allergy or infection (conjunctivitis)
• blocked tear ducts (small tubes that tears drain into)
• your eyelid drooping away from the eye (ectropion) or your eyelid turning inwards (entropion)
• dry eye syndrome – this can cause your eyes to produce too many tears

Babies often have watering eyes because their tear ducts are small. It usually gets better by the time they're 1 year old.

You can ask a pharmacist about:

• what you can do to treat it yourself – such as cleaning and protecting your eyes
• what you can buy to help – such as cleaning solutions, eyedrops or allergy medicines
• whether you need to see an optician or GP

Treatment for watering eyes

Treatment may not be needed if the watering is not causing problems.

If treatment is needed, it will depend on what the cause is.

For example:

• eyedrops can help if your eyes are dry or infected
• medicines can help if you have an allergy
• anything in your eye, like a piece of grit, can be removed
• a small operation may be needed if you have a problem with your eyelids or you have blocked tear ducts