Watery eyes: Here's what it could mean for your health

Not only are our eyes one of the first things that people notice about us, but there's also a lot that eyes reveal about your health status. For example, even the dark circles under your eyes could be a sign of a bigger issue that just a matter of aesthetics. Again, itchy eyes could a sign of something very serious too.

So, while watery or irritated eyes are not uncommon occurrences, it is important to monitor these symptoms because it could be a sign that your body is trying to tell you something important about your health.

As reported by Healthline, here's what suffering from watery eyes could mean.

Eye irritants

The most common conclusion for watery eyes if of course, that your eyes are being irritated by an agent. This could include environmental irritants such as smog, dry or windy weather or smoke, or foreign objects like an eyelash or dust. These foreign objects can sometimes even cause a corneal abrasion, which also leads to watery eyes.

In these cases, you should not rub your eyes, but rinse your eyes gently with warm or saline water to help eliminate the foreign object. A corneal abrasion is more serious, and should be checked by a doctor.

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Dry eye or allergies

The watery eyes could be due to an underlying allergy due to irritants like pollen or mould, which trigger a reaction in your eyes. In such cases, while a cold compress could help relieve your eyes temporarily, you need to address the allergy with a medical professional.

You could also be suffering from dry eyes, which happens when your eyes cannot produce enough water and oils to keep your it lubricated. To resolve this, you can use eye drops for eye lubrication but if the problem persists, you should visit a doctor.

Blocked tear duct

A blocked tear duct could lead to teary eyes as well as redness, swelling, and crusting, putting your eyes at a greater risk for infections. Along with watery eyes, additional symptoms could include a sticky white or yellow discharge, especially after sleeping.

You should definitely get your eyes checked with a medical professional to address this issue.

Along with these, sty or infections such as pink eyecould also cause your eyes to water. As per Livestrong, it has also been found that high blood sugar could lead to nerves in the eye damaging, and cause it to get watery.

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⋙ Rubbing your eyes often can lead to certain health issues

Sources used:

Livestrong: 'Watery Eyes? Here's What Your Body's Trying to Tell You'