Tear duct surgery – Tampa Bay

There are numerous causes for excessive tearing in the adult patient. Poor tear drainage, abnormal eyelid position, dry eyes and an overproduction of tears are some of the more common causes of excessive tearing. When the eye is irritated excess tears are produced. People are not always aware of the eye irritation but instead may notice an overproduction of tears.

The tears normally drain from the eye into small openings in the inner corners of the upper and lower eyelids. From there the tears flow down and collect in the tear sac which lies under the skin between the corner of the eye and the nose. The tears then flow through a small tube called the nasolacrimal duct and into the nose. The tears are able to flow through this system by the opening and closing of the eyelids.

A blockage in any part of this system can prevent tear drainage and cause excessive tearing. Determining the correct location of the blockage is important in formulating a treatment plan. Patients may have more than one cause for their excessive tearing and this will be determined by your doctor during their evaluation.