Watery eyes are a pain to deal with–especially when you’ve just left the house with freshly-applied makeup on a windy morning. The most common cause? Surprisingly, too dry eyes. Though it may seem counterintuitive for dryness to be behind streaming eyes, it’s actually a result of the eyes responding to being compromised by overproducing that all-important lubrication.
According to Nicola Alexander-Cross, optometrist and the co-founder of the United Kingdoms’ Peep Club, symptoms to look out for are “eyes over-watering in windy or sunny conditions, redness during the day, a mild itchy or irritated feeling around the eye or lash line, and a gritty feeling in eyes, as well as heavy eyelids”.
Watery eyes are also exacerbated when eyes become sensitized, or are affected by an allergy. “Sensitizing is [when you find] that the same mascara you’ve been using for a while is now irritating your eyes,” Alexander-Cross explains. “It is more gradual and irritating–but the eyes are not angry and itchy [due to] that specific item. When using products around the eyes, it may not be that you have an allergy, it may be that you’re sensitized to the ingredients because your barrier is weak. In the same way that if your skin barrier was weak you’d be [more] sensitive to product–especially when it’s fragranced, for example.”
An actual allergy is different. “An allergy like contact dermatitis is instant. When you use [a product, the reaction is] really red and angry.” When you stop using the product in question, “the reaction usually goes after a few days,” says Alexander-Cross. “If you’re still unsure, I always advise you to speak to your optometrist.”
How to soothe streaming eyes:
Get spritzing
Hydrating eyes replaces the water layer of your tear film, helping rebuild and regulate your tears. Hydrating eyes using a spray or wiping cloth is great for those who struggle with using eye drops.
Use a humidifier
Boosting moisture and/or water vapor in the air can also help. “Using a humidifier while you sleep helps to replenish your eyes and hydrate your skin. You’ll wake up feeling refreshed,” says Alexander-Cross. This is especially beneficial if your eyes don’t close all the way when you’re sleeping, as the water vapor will help keep eyes lubricated throughout the night.
Massage to release oils
If you have dry eyes, a hot compress placed over the eyes can help to dislodge and melt trapped oils that get stuck and blocked in the glands. When it persists, Alexander-Cross finds that massage is your next best bet. “Peep Club was co-created with my co-founder Natasha in mind: she had perfect vision, but terribly dry eyes. She didn’t have time to sit there with her eyes closed with a heat compress every night, so we developed a tool that does the same thing: it heats up to melt the oil and messages to get it all flowing. The spray replaces the water layer of the tear film, while the wand helps replace the oil on the top layer, just like you would with skincare. Together they help regulate the tear barrier.”
