Natural remedies for watery eyes

Do you find your eyes water really easily? Watery eyes usually occur because of eye strain, allergies, overexposure to screens or sunlight, or simply because your eyes are more sensitive than others.

Two seconds outside and you’re crying like you just remembered how bad the ending of Game of Thrones was.

Luckily, there are natural remedies for watery eyes that can help.

The possible causes of watery eyes

First and foremost, watery eyes aren’t always a sign of illness or irritation. Don’t believe everything you read on WebMD.

Tears are actually both useful and essential for good eye health.

a single eye crying a happy tear

They help protect the cornea and fight against dry eye syndrome. While we’re used to tears being associated with strong emotions (like crying when your favorite team loses), they’re also produced in other circumstances, like strong weather.

So, there’s no need to panic if your eyes start watering. But there are certain times it's worth investigating your weepy eye a little further.

👉 We can distinguish "normal" tearing from a continuous or more abundant flow, by whether or not its associated with other symptoms.

There are multiple causes of watery eyes:

A clogged tear duct
Allergies
Irritation or inflammation of the eye
Presence of a foreign body
Ocular pathologies (example: keratitis)
Side effects of some treatments
Reaction to dry eye
Unsuitable contact lenses
Photosensitivity or photophobia: hypersensitivity to light, which can cause (among other things) excessive tearing
The meeting between your little toe and the corner of the bed
An emotional upheaval

Finally, it can also be linked to digital eye strain often caused by the infamous blue light.

In cases of concern or discomfort, it’s always best to consult a specialist who will be able to offer specialist advice. As always, we are here to guide you but nothing replaces a real diagnosis from your favorite doctor… or, well, any doctor.

Symptoms and pathologies associated with teary eyes

Although in most cases, it's often benign, excessively watery eyes can be the symptom of something a little deeper, or occasionally, more serious.

There are other accompanying symptoms to look out for in these cases.

Symptoms that could accompany watery eyes:

😖 Tingling
🫣 Itching
🌵 Excessive dryness
‼️ Visual disturbances
🔴 Red eyes
😢 A flow of secretions
😩 Pain

👉Dammit I’m a website not a doctor! If you experience any of these symptoms long term, we strongly advise seeing a health professional who can help alleviate your symptoms and find their root cause. Natural remedies for watery eyes may be helpful, but you need to treat the underlying problem.

The most common pathologies that cause watery eyes

An eye that weeps continuously or too much can be a sign of certain types of ocular pathology.

For example, tingling, itching, red eyes and discharge may indicate conjunctivitis. If your eyes are painful, in addition to being red, watery, it may be keratitis.

Allergies like hayfever can cause tearing and eye discomfort, but are usually also recognizable due to the added sneezing and/or stuffy nose that allows them to be easily differentiated. Its also easy to spot hayfever because the person usually looks increasingly annoyed throughout the day.

Preventative measures for watery eyes

When trying to prevent watery eye, there are basic steps you can take that will almost immediately alleviate at least some of your discomfort. Don’t wait until you’re sat there with tears streaming down your face. Act now to prevent watery eyes later.

1. Pay attention to your surroundings

Young man with sunglasses outside

The sun, pollution and lack of humidity in the air can all affect your eyes, especially if you suffer from over-sensitivity.

Sidenote: When we say oversensitivity, we’re talking strictly about your eyes themselves. Not how you react if someone insults your cooking.

😎Outdoors: Protect your eyes from pollution, allergens and the sun's rays (UV) with a good pair of Horus X protective sunglasses.
🌫 At home: Try an air humidifier

2. Proper hydration is important

Woman drinking water under the sun

A crucial tip for healthy eyes: make sure you’re drinking enough water. It's simple to do, but we bet you don’t drink as much as you should.

Few people realise that hydration is an important factor in ensuring healthy eyes.

💦 Hydration oils the cogs of your vision. Like the rest of your body, some components of the eye are mainly made up of water (like the vitreous humor which is made up of 98% water!).

⚠️ Poor Hydration = Dry Eyes ⚠️

When it comes to fighting eye fatigue, there's nothing worse than dehydration either, so don't hesitate to drink plenty of water. Your eyes will thank you!

3. A good diet helps negate watery eyes

A wooden board full of nutritious ingredients

As if eating poorly didn’t impact enough, it can also have a negative effect on your eyes! Luckily if you establish a good diet, filled with nutrients; it can help keep your eyes healthy and strong.

Certain foods, like fruits and vegetables, contain lots of nutrients that are essential for good eye (and general) health.

That’s because they contain (among other things):

Vitamins A, D , C, E
Zinc
Omega

A varied and balanced diet (and if necessary, food supplements) is therefore essential for healthy eyes.

4. Avoid wearing lenses continuously

contact lenses in their case on a light blue background

As you probably already know, you shouldn’t wear contact lenses every day. Don’t worry, you’re not Clark Kent, people will still recognize you in glasses.

One to two days a week give your eyes a rest by taking out your contact lenses and slipping on a pair of your best frames instead.

In a perfect world, you should only wear contact lenses very occasionally as they can be quite aggressive on your eyes.

Also, remember to get your eyes checked by your ophthalmologist regularly to ensure your prescription is still accurate.

5. Protect yourself from blue light effectively

Young woman looking at a screen with blue light glasses

Blue light from screens is one of the worst offenders. It can cause short and long-term damage to your eyes, and can be one of the reasons for them watering.

If you spend a lot of time in front of computers, TVs, or any screen really, you are exposed to blue light.

Blue light can cause digital eye strain, age-related macular degeneration and other negative effects, so it’s best to protect yourself whenever possible.

The best way to do this is by investing in a pair of anti-blue light glasses.

Blue light blocking glasses protect your eyes from the effects of screens and help reduce the chance of tearing linked to eye fatigue. You should also try and take breaks from your screens wherever possible (aka: GO OUTSIDE).

Another helpful tip is to make sure you’re blinking enough. Sounds stupid but when looking at screens we often forget to blink as much, leading to dry eyes.

Finally, don’t forget natural blue light from the sun. That’s a thing too. That’s why we always advise taking a pair of sunglasses out, even if you look a bit silly when it’s tipping down outside.

The first most important step for continuously watery eyes is to consult your doctor who will be able to offer a professional, experienced opinion. That way you can ensure your watery eyes aren’t a symptom of something more sinister.

For those that have no underlying causes beyond a natural propensity to weep; there are natural remedies for watery eyes you can try out.

🥲 Artificial tears

These are a type of eye drop that help relieve dry eye symptoms, one of the primary causes of watery eyes.

They can be prescribed by a doctor, and are also available over-the-counter in drug stores.

🔥 Hot compresses

In case of obstructed lacrimal glands, one of the simplest natural remedies for watery eyes is to try a hot compress. Not too hot though, it won’t give you lazer vision.

You can massage your eyes while using the compress to improve the effects, or even try a herbal tea that will help soothe your eyes.

🍀 Plants to relieve irritated eyes

Our grandmothers were not necessarily wrong! Herbal teas and medicines can help soothe weak or irritated eyes, or simply prevent eye ailments.

🌼 Some plants that help soothe the eyes:

Chamomile: Soothing and anti-inflammatory, chamomile can be used in herbal tea and in decoctions on a hot compress.
Cornflower: Recommended in particular for conjunctivitis thanks to its soothing and decongestive properties.
Eyebright: A super plant with anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, anti-bacterial, pain-relieving and soothing properties. The Swiss army knife of eye care.