Tears are more than just a way we show emotion – they’re an essential process in the body. On a daily basis, tears help lubricate the eyes and prevent them from drying out. But if you’re experiencing excessive tearing, also known as epiphora, your eyes may feel itchy, cloudy, and red.
Here are some possible causes behind excessive tearing as well as treatment options available to you.
Excessive Tearing: Breaking Things Down
Excessive tearing may occur when the eyelids don’t allow for the body’s normal pumping mechanism that produces tears to function the way it should. When the tears cannot flow properly through the tear ducts, you can experience excessive tearing.
One of the most common causes of this has to do with loose or lax eyelids. But other reasons may include but are not limited to:
- Allergies
- Excessively dry eyes.
- Blepharitis.
- Certain topical medications you might be using.
- Blocked tear ducts.
- Styes.
- Infections.
- Entropian or ectropian.
What Are My Treatment Options?
The good news is that there are several treatment options that you can explore depending on your needs. Our esteemed oculofacial plastic surgeon, Dr. Daniel Tresley, will always assess each patient individually. There is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to treating excessive tearing, and only by learning as much as possible about your situation and the possible causes will he be able to put together the plan that is right for you.
Depending on the reason you have developed excessive tearing will determine what treatment is needed. There are medications available for treating allergies and infections. Other patients may need a foreign object removed from their eye. If excessive tearing is caused by blocked tear ducks, new trains can be created to bypass those ducts. For patients with ectropion or entropion, surgery can help restore the normal function of the eyelid.
Regardless, Dr. Tresley will finally be able to give you the relief that you’ve been searching for.
Schedule a Consultation with Dr. Tresley Right Away
If you’d like to learn more about excessive tearing treatment options in Northbrook, IL, offered by Dr. Tresley, contact our office today at 847-291-6900 or submit a contact form online.