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Epiphora; Tearing - increased
Watery eyes occur when there is too much tear production or poor drainage of the tear duct.
Tears are necessary for the normal lubrication of the eye and to wash away particles and foreign bodies.
Causes of watery eyes include:
Increased tearing sometimes accompanies:
Oddly enough, one of the most common causes of excess tearing is dry eyes. Drying causes the eyes to become uncomfortable, which stimulates the body to produce too many tears. One of the main tests for tearing is to check whether the eyes are too dry.
Hurwitz JJ. The lacrimal drainage system. In: Yanoff M, Duker JS, eds. Ophthalmology. 3rd ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby Elsevier; 2008:chap 12.
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