Why do my eyes water in the morning?
Some people wake up with watery eyes, and more than a few spend the morning fighting off inexplicably watering eyes. There are a few reasons this can happen, and it's especially likely to show up in children. Fortunately, this usually isn't too serious, and there are options for controlling this weird condition.
Understanding morning eye-watering
Eye-watering is an odd phenomenon, and it has more than one cause. Our eyes naturally produce tears (not just you), but when the mechanism goes awry, you can wind up with some unpleasant morning eye gunk.
Definition and characteristics
Our eyes naturally produce tears to stay lubricated and soft, and your tear glands will keep producing fluids throughout the day. This fluid moves across your eyes as you blink, and it usually drains through a small duct close to your nose. Eyes get watery either because there's a surplus of tears being produced or because the drainage is somehow not working right.
Occurrence and triggers
There are several reasons you might get watery eyes in the morning. For one thing, your eyes are generally closed all night, which keeps the light out. When you open your eyes in the morning, there's a response where your eyes suddenly gush with more tears, as if you just got a blast of dust or pollen in your eyes. Nobody really knows why this happens, but it's pretty common.
Common causes of morning eye-watering
If you're really bothered by having your eyes water in the morning, it's helpful to find out what your triggers are so you can come up with a plan to stop it. Your eye care professional can help you out here during a regular eye exam, or your doctor can help you diagnose and treat chronic watery eyes.
Dry eyes
Dry eyes are the obvious first place to start with why your eyes are so watery. Paradoxically, dry eyes are a leading cause of watery eyes. This works because dry eyes are a trigger for extra tear production, which can easily go too far and leave you with runny eyes. You might be able to manage this problem by keeping eye drops close to your bed and starting the day by putting a few drops in your eyes first thing when you wake up. This keeps the irritation down and might break the cycle of overproduction of tears.
Allergies and irritants
Allergies are another major cause of watery eyes. When you're exposed to an allergy-causing agent, your body produces a hormone called histamine to kind of kick up your tear production. A lot of things can cause an allergic reaction, most commonly ragweed, pet dander, pollen, and dust in the air. You can manage most of these issues with a good HEPA filter and regular dusting or vacuuming, or you could take an antihistamine to control the histamine production.
Blocked tear ducts
Overproduction of tears is only half of the reason why your eyes are watery in the morning. The other side of the equation is problems draining tears from your eyes. If your tear ducts are blocked, your eyes can't efficiently drain. Excessive buildup of tears at the inner corners causes a very gross, gummy, crunchy buildup of what scientists call eye boogers.
Morning eye-watering in children
Kids are especially likely to get watery eyes, and it happens most often in the morning. There are reasons for this, and treating kids for it is different from the usual treatment for adults.
Newborns, infants, and older children
Babies have small faces, and that includes little noses and tear ducts. They also cry a lot, which is yet another reason their adorable little eyes might be damp in the morning. This is almost always no big deal, and it goes away in time. Speak with your child's pediatrician if you notice a fever or redness and swelling or you suspect the child might have allergies.
Managing and preventing morning eye watering
You can generally get watery eyes under control with good eye hygiene and allergy management. Make a point of gently dabbing your eyes with a damp cloth before you go to bed at night, and keep some drops handy for the morning. Manage the airborne irritants in your home, and see a local eye care professional if you think you might have an infection.
FAQ
Is it normal for eyes to water in the morning?
It's usually normal, or at least not problematic, to have watery eyes in the morning. If there's an obvious cause, you can usually treat the issue.
How can I tell if my morning eye watering is due to allergies or another cause?
Allergies, infections, and other systemic problems usually come with more symptoms than just watery eyes. Check in with your doctor if you have a fever or other symptoms of illness.
When is it necessary to consult an eye doctor for morning eye watering?
You might have to see a doctor if your watery eyes are producing pus, red and inflamed, or painful. These can be signs of infection.