There could be instances when you may notice watery eyes in babies without them crying. It is ordinarily a condition seldom to worry about since some infants could have watery eyes without crying.

Several atmospheric condition and factors may lead to watery eyes in infants. Most of the causes are harmless and manageable past parents, while some could be due to a medical condition. This post explains why a baby'south eyes are watery and what parents should exercise in such a case.

What Causes Watery Eyes In Babies?

Watery eyes (medical term: Epiphora) is due to the excess presence of tears in the eyes. The following are the main reasons why a babe could have watery optics.

one. Common cold

Babies and children have more than colds per year than adults. A common common cold is one of the prominent reasons for watery eyes (1). During a common cold, white claret cells fight infection and produce substances that cause inflammation of the nasal mucosa.

They also dilate claret vessels in the area, resulting in nasal congestion and a runny nose. A similar process happens in the tear duct, bringing tears from the heart to the olfactory organ. This causes the duct to clog and thus build up tears in the eye.

ii. Heart infections

One of the start signs of an infected eye is excessive tear secretion. Several eye infections tin atomic number 82 to watery optics in babies, with one of the most common infections being conjunctivitis. Also chosen a pink eye, the infection can atomic number 82 to watery eyes (two). A baby with conjunctivitis will also have other symptoms such as redness and abiding irritation of the eyes.

Another infection that tin can crusade watery eyes in babies is a stye, which occurs due to the infection of the oil or sweat gland on the eyelid (3). A stye causes a painful carmine bump on the eyelids.

3. Allergies

If your baby has an allergy, then they may have watery eyes every bit ane of the symptoms (iv). Babies can exist allergic to anything from pollen in the air to the fur of your family unit pet. Watery eyes triggered by allergies are probable to exist spotted more than easily due to the presence of other symptoms like peel hives and swelling of the face. Some of the common allergies that could crusade watery eyes in babies are conjunctivitis and hay fever. In either of the weather condition, medical intervention is advised.

4. Blocked tear ducts

Tears are produced past the lacrimal gland located to a higher place the eye. Once the tears take moved through the surface of the eye, they enter two tiny holes within the inner corner of the heart. Each pigsty leads to a duct. The 2 ducts enter a larger tube, which is the tear duct, besides called the nasolacrimal duct. The tear duct is thus responsible for draining backlog tears from the eye into the nasal cavity (v).

A blockage in the tear duct can foreclose tears from draining into the nasal crenel. Excess tears in the centre can make information technology watery. Co-ordinate to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, about xx% of newborns take blocked tear ducts at birth. Simply the status resolves within the starting time four to six months of life (half-dozen).

Reasons for a blocked tear duct in babies can range from center infections, craniofacial abnormalities, and fifty-fifty an injury to the confront. Tear duct infection, called dacryocystitis, is a collateral status that can occur due to the blocked tear ducts (7). Dacryocystitis as well causes watery eyes.

5. Nasal and upper respiratory infections

Watery eyes, along with a runny nose, are amidst the symptoms of upper respiratory infections similar a common cold (8). Other infections that affect the upper respiratory organisation, specially the nasal cavity, may also lead to watery eyes in babies.

vi. Nasal anomalies, injuries, and foreign bodies

Conditions like nasal polyps and tumors around the tear duct can cake them, leading to watery eyes (9). Injuries to the face, peculiarly to the basic around the eyes and olfactory organ, tin harm the tissue. The eyes may get teary as a event of it. The presence of a foreign trunk can cause the infant's optics to become watery every bit well.

The baby's eyes can get watery due to uncomplicated reasons such as the presence of an eyelash in the eye. So how does one know when to meet a dr. for the baby'southward watery eyes?

When Should You Visit A Medico For Baby's Watery Optics?

See a doctor if the post-obit symptoms accompany a watery eye (10):

  • Redness and inflammation of the eye tissue
  • Drainage of pus or yellow discharge from the eye
  • Eyes are chronically mucilaginous
  • Swelling of the eyelids
  • Swelling of the nose, throat, or a role of the face
  • Irritation and fussiness that interferes with eating and sleeping
  • Associated systemic symptoms like fever, not feeding well, reduced action

The doctor will diagnose the underlying cause through an examination of the eye and some tests if required.

Treatment For Watery Eyes In Babies

The treatment depends on the crusade. The following are the common medications used for treating watery optics in babies (eleven):

  • Antibody eye drops confronting the bacterium that has caused conjunctivitis.
  • Eye drops to command tears and restrict the excess tear germination in the eyes.
  • Oral medicines can exist antibiotics for the respiratory system infections.
  • Antihistamines assistance control allergies by regulating the response of the immune organization, thus subduing the symptoms like watery eyes.
  • A massage to ease blocked tear ducts can ease out the blockage gently in the instance of a built blocked tear duct. Parents are shown how to perform the massage correctly.

Treatment of nasal polyps and tumors may be specific to the instance and tin can significantly vary. In the case of a viral cold, you volition have to look for the baby's immune organisation to clear the pathogen on its ain. The time taken for the recovery can vary every bit per the cause. In the meantime, y'all may want to practise something about the condition at home. Next, we tell you nearly the home remedies for watery eyes in the babe.

Home Remedies For Watery Eyes In Babies

The eyes are delicate and should be handled with extreme care. Earlier yous effort a remedy to treat an heart-related condition such equally teary eyes at dwelling house, consult the medico (12).

Here are a few dwelling house remedies yous can try to alleviate the baby's discomfort.

  • Avert exposure to bright lite or intense sunlight that may irritate the optics.
  • Provide acceptable fluids to the baby when they have a common cold.
  • Keep the room well humidified using a humidifier. It can help lessen the irritation in the eyes.
  • Proceed the baby in a dust-complimentary environment to prevent further irritation of the eyes.
  • Lastly, apply baby-safe, preferably antiseptic, wipes to wipe away whatsoever tears or mucus from the face. Do non use a wipe on the eyes or eyelids direct.

You can as well minimize the risk of, and in some cases prevent, watery eyes by taking a few preventive measures.

How To Forestall Watery Eyes In Babies?

You tin prevent watery eyes by mitigating the causes of the condition:

  1. Maintain proper hygiene: Keep your baby's easily and the toys clean. Anyone with a cold or conjunctivitis should avoid coming into contact with the baby. If they accept to, ensure that they wash their hands earlier belongings the babe or the belongings. These steps help reduce the chances of the baby communicable a pathogen that could lead to conjunctivitis, cold, or any other problem that can lead to watery optics.
  1. Stay alarm for blocked tear ducts: Babies can exist born with blocked tear ducts. If you see your baby with watery eyes all the time for days or weeks, then information technology is good to get them checked for clogged tear ducts. Well-nigh cases of a blocked tear duct clear within six months (6). But if your baby stays teary-eyed across six months of age and for no apparent reason, and then it is good to encounter a medico.
  1. Manage allergies: If you know your infant has allergies, then avoid food and conditions that trigger the allergic reaction. You tin can continue the antihistamine medications, as well as the epinephrine shot, handy.

Keeping your baby safe from injuries is also a way to avert watery eyes.

Watery eyes in babies are not a cause of concern. If the reason is a blocked tear duct, then it is probable to be cleared within infancy. Still, you demand to be on the watch for other symptoms such as redness and inflammation that could bespeak towards other bug. Being careful and taking precautions could assist you lot preclude watery eyes in your baby.

Did you face up this state of affairs with your baby? How did you deal with it? Tell the states in the comments section below.

References:

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Dr. Shashidhar is a qualified pediatrician and neonatologist currently practicing at St John's Medical College and Tiny Tots Dispensary in Koramangala, Bangalore. He is a role of an accomplished team taking intendance of preterm and sick newborns until discharge and follow up. He is a teacher at various levels from undergraduate to post-doctoral medical students. Keenly interested in different aspects... more

Rohit Garoo is a zoologist-botanist turned writer with over viii years of experience in content writing, content marketing, and copywriting. He has as well done an MBA in marketing and human resources and worked in the domains of marketplace research and e-commerce. Rohit writes topics related to wellness, wellness and evolution of babies. His articles featured on several notable websites, including... more than