What Causes Tearing?
Excessive tearing, or epiphora, is a common complaint for many patients. It is caused by the overproduction of tears from the lacrimal gland, or decreased tear drainage by the lacrimal ducts. Patients may describe a welling of tears on their eyes, tears dripping down their cheeks, excessive wiping of tears, always carrying around a tissue for wiping, or mucous crusting of their eyes in the morning. This can be caused by many things including dry eyes, allergies, inflammation, chronic sinus issues, trauma, eyelid laxity, tumors, thyroid disease, or stones along the tear duct. Excess tearing can be quite a nuisance and can lead to infection in some cases. A few office tests can often determine the cause of tearing.
Treatments for Tearing
Depending on the cause, treatment for tearing includes various eye drops or surgery. Silicone stents may be placed temporarily in the lacrimal drainage system to improve drainage. For complete nasolacrimal obstruction, a dacryocystorhinostomy is performed. This procedure creates a new passage for tears to drain inside the nose, bypassing the blockage.
Infant Tearing
Tearing is common in infants. The cause is usually a blocked tear duct. This frequently resolves by one year of age. If not, probing and irrigation of the lacrimal system is recommended. Occasionally, a silicone stent must be place to open the nasolacrimal duct.
