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Published on: 3/5/2025

When Should I Be Worried About a Watery Eye?

A watery eye is often harmless, but if it comes with pain, vision changes, or lasts a long time, it's important to see a doctor.

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Explanation

A watery eye can happen for many reasons. Sometimes it's just because of allergies, dust, or wind, and that is usually nothing to worry about. These irritants make your eye produce more tears to flush out the bothersome particles. However, you should be more concerned if your eye is also red, painful, or if your vision suddenly changes. This could be a sign of an infection or another eye problem that needs medical attention. If the watering doesn’t go away, especially when it happens slowly over days, or if it happens along with other symptoms like swelling or blurry vision, then it is best to get your eye checked by an eye doctor or healthcare professional. Keeping an eye on these symptoms helps ensure your eyes stay healthy, and it’s always a good idea to get help if you feel that something isn’t right.

(References)

  • Ono SJ, Abelson MB. Allergic conjunctivitis: update on pathophysiology and prospects for future treatment. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2005 Jan;115(1):118-22. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2004.10.042. PMID: 15637556.

  • Gilani CJ, Yang A, Yonkers M, Boysen-Osborn M. Differentiating Urgent and Emergent Causes of Acute Red Eye for the Emergency Physician. West J Emerg Med. 2017 Apr;18(3):509-517. doi: 10.5811/westjem.2016.12.31798. Epub 2017 Mar 3. PMID: 28435504; PMCID: PMC5391903.

  • Lopez Montes T, Gurnani B, Stokkermans TJ. Assessment of the Watery Eye. [Updated 2024 Feb 26]. In: StatPearls [Internet].

  • Patel J, Levin A, Patel BC. Epiphora. [Updated 2023 Aug 7]. In: StatPearls [Internet].

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