Causes and treatment for watery eyes

March 1, 2011 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am writing in response to the woman who complained of the watery eye. I suffered with bouts of watery eyes for a number of years. I first noticed it while visiting Las Vegas. After trying everything and having my eyes checked (the exam yielded nothing), and checking with my allergist, it was my sister who finally diagnosed it. I have dry eyes. Apparently one of the symptoms of dry eyes is watering, as unbelievable as that sounds. I immediately started using preservative-free artificial tears (at least two or three times a day) and haven’t had a problem since. It seems the dry hot air in Las Vegas escalated the problem, which continued when I came back home to Pennsylvania. The drops certainly are an easy solution.

DEAR DR. GOTT: I enjoy your column and appreciate your common-sense approach. In regards to the woman who wrote about a watery eye, it sounds exactly like the problem I had last year. [Read more...]

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No tears for this reader

January 21, 2011 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am in great pain with dry eyes at night. I am 90. I use a lot of eyedrops and have to use warm compresses to open my lids at night. Do you have any information you can share?

DEAR READER: Dry eyes are rather common as people age. The condition occurs when the normal tearing process fails to provide sufficient moisture for your eyes. The condition is known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca. Tears are a combination of electrolytes, water, fatty oils and proteins. In your case, an imbalance is occurring. Dry eyes can burn or sting. You might experience blurred vision that worsens as the day progresses, sensitivity to light and susceptibility to cigarette smoke or the wind when you are outside.
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Haircut aggravates reader’s dry eyes

October 19, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I have an unusual problem. When I got my last haircut two months ago, the stylist accidentally got dozens and dozens of fine hairs in my eyes. I have dry, sensitive eyes, and this certainly didn’t help.

I have been to the emergency room and to my eye specialist, but neither can find anything wrong. I am in sheer agony every day and don’t know what else to do. I even bought an eye-rinse kit that didn’t provide any relief at all. I get about a dozen hairs from each eye every day, and some are still left. Can you please help me?
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