Why evaluation matters
One Symptom Can Have Different Contributors
Tears can run down the cheek because the eyes are producing extra tears, because the eyelids are not directing tears normally, or because drainage is narrowed. Dryness and irritation can paradoxically trigger reflex tearing, so treatment should follow an examination instead of assuming every watery eye is a blocked tear duct.
Possible contributors
- Dryness, allergy, inflammation, or another source of ocular-surface irritation
- An eyelid-position or blink problem
- Narrowing at the tear opening or farther along the drainage pathway
- Prior infection, trauma, surgery, facial weakness, or sinus-related history