Do your eyes water frequently and you're looking for a natural way to treat them? Here are home remedies made with natural ingredients to help relieve watery eyes, especially helpful for sensitive eyes.
Whether you're dealing with this symptom due to eye strain, allergies, an underlying condition, too much screen time, or simply because your eyes are more sensitive than average, there are real ways to relieve watery eyes. Here are all of Grandma Solo’s tips and explanations for more comfort (and a few fewer tears!).
Why Are My Eyes Watering?
First things first: watery eyes are not always a sign of disease or irritation.
Tears are actually essential for good eye health!
The tear film protects the cornea and helps fight dry eye syndrome. Tears are produced in greater amounts in certain situations: wind, cold weather, and even strong emotions (like losing yet another match to your best friend in your favorite video game, for example).
So don’t worry — tearing up is a completely normal process!
But when should watery eyes become a concern?
👉 We distinguish “normal” tearing from continuous or excessive tearing, whether or not it’s associated with other symptoms.
The causes of watery eyes are numerous:
- Blocked tear duct,
- Allergies,
- Eye irritation or inflammation,
- Presence of a foreign body,
- Eye conditions (for example: keratitis),
- Side effects of certain medications,
- A reaction to dry eye syndrome,
- Improperly fitted contact lenses,
- Photosensitivity or photophobia: light sensitivity that can lead (among other things) to excessive tearing,
- Stubbing your little toe against the corner of the bed,
- Or simply feeling particularly sad (for the last two causes, we recommend reading this article to cheer yourself up)
Finally, it can also be linked to digital eye strain, often caused by the famous blue light we know so well at Horus X!
If you’re concerned or experiencing discomfort, don’t forget to consult a specialist who can properly diagnose the cause. As always, we’re here to guide you — but nothing replaces a real diagnosis from your trusted doctor.
What Symptoms and Conditions Are Associated With Watery Eyes?
Symptoms That Can Accompany Watery Eyes
Although in most cases it’s harmless, excessive tearing can sometimes signal an underlying condition, especially if it’s associated with other symptoms such as:
- 😖 Stinging sensations,
- 🫣 Itching,
- 🌵 Excessive dryness,
- ‼️ Vision problems or blurred vision,
- 🔴 Red eyes,
- 😢 Discharge or secretions,
- 😩 Eye pain.
👉 These symptoms should prompt you to see a healthcare professional quickly to relieve watery eyes and treat the possible underlying condition. A natural remedy may help soothe discomfort, but the root cause must still be addressed.
Most Common Conditions
Continuous or excessive watery eyes may point toward an eye condition.
Stinging, itching, red eyes, and discharge may indicate conjunctivitis. If you experience pain along with red, watery eyes, it could be keratitis.
As for allergies, they cause tearing and eye discomfort but are often accompanied by sneezing, which helps distinguish them from other conditions.
How to Prevent Watery Eyes
First and foremost, follow basic preventive measures that can eliminate up to 80% of issues in a simple way. Don’t wait until your eyes are watering to take care of them! You can start now with simple daily habits to support eye health.
Pay Attention to Your Environment
Sun exposure, pollution, and low air humidity can strongly impact your eyes — especially if they’re sensitive.
- 😎 Outdoors, protect your precious eyes from pollution, allergens, and UV rays with high-quality wraparound sunglasses.
- 🌫 Consider getting a humidifier and an air purifier at home.
Stay Properly Hydrated
A crucial tip for healthy eyes: drink enough water.
It’s simple, but many eye problems may actually stem from dehydration.
💦 Proper hydration is key to keeping the “gears” of your vision well-lubricated. Some parts of the eye are mostly water — like the vitreous body, which is about 98% water!
⚠️ You can imagine the damage caused by poor hydration ⚠️
When it comes to fighting eye fatigue, nothing’s worse than dehydration. So make sure you drink plenty of water — your eyes will thank you!
Eat a Balanced and Varied Diet
As you probably guessed, what you eat also affects the health of your eyes.
For more details, check out our guide to foods that boost eye health.
In short, certain foods (fruits, vegetables, etc.) are packed with nutrients essential for healthy eyes:
- Vitamins A, D, C, E
- Zinc
- Omega-3s … to name just a few!
A balanced diet (and supplements if needed) is essential for keeping your eyes healthy.
Avoid Wearing Contact Lenses Continuously
If you wear contact lenses, you’ve probably already been advised not to wear them every day.
Take one or two days a week off to wear glasses to rest your eyes and prevent excessive irritation. Ideally, lenses should be worn only occasionally, as they can be particularly harsh on your eyes.
Also, make sure to schedule regular check-ups to ensure your lenses still fit your eyes properly.
Effectively Filter Artificial Blue Light
We couldn’t wrap up this eye-friendly advice list without talking about blue light, right?
If you’re frequently exposed to screens or LED light, you’ve probably noticed your eyes get tired faster, so it’s best to protect them.
Good news: we know all about blue light protection!
Opt for effective blue-light glasses to shield your eyes from screen emissions and help prevent watering (among other benefits!).
If your watery eyes are caused by eye strain, rest your eyes as much as possible and limit screen time.
If you work on screens and your eyes water because they’re dry, remember to blink more often: a simple but proven tip!
Another easy tip to reduce eye fatigue: close your eyes for a few minutes. Perfect for relaxing your eyes, decompressing, clearing your mind, or even doing a short meditation session!
Finally, you can try the 20/20/20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet (about 6 meters) away for at least 20 seconds to rest your eyes and reduce fatigue.
What Are Natural Remedies for Watery Eyes?
We may be repeating ourselves, but our first tip is to consult a professional, as there’s likely an underlying reason for your watery eyes (unless you’re still in PLS after 136 retries against your gaming rival 😉).
That said, if you don’t have any medical condition but your watery eyes are bothering you, several natural solutions can help.
🥲 Artificial Tears
They help relieve dry eye syndrome, a common cause of watery eyes.
Eye drops can be prescribed by a doctor and are also readily available at pharmacies.
🔥 Warm Compresses
If you have blocked tear ducts, one of the easiest remedies to apply is a warm compress.
You can gently massage your eyes during application for better results, or use a decoction of beneficial or anti-inflammatory plants, like chamomile.
❄️ Cold Compresses
You can also use something cold on tired eyes!
Cold compresses are perfect for soothing dry, irritated, or puffy eyes immediately. The cold reduces local circulation, which decreases redness and swelling, giving a refreshing and relieving sensation.
Place a cold compress on closed eyelids for 5–10 minutes, and repeat if needed to calm eye fatigue or mild irritation-related watering.
🍀 Herbal Remedies to Soothe Irritated Eyes
Grandma wasn’t always wrong! Herbal remedies can help soothe sensitive or irritated eyes, or simply prevent eye discomfort.
🌼 Some calming herbs for your eyes:
- Chamomile: thanks to its soothing and anti-inflammatory properties, it can be used as a tea or as a decoction on a compress,
- Cornflower (Bluebottle): recommended especially for conjunctivitis due to its calming and decongesting effects,
- Eyebright: a powerhouse herb with anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antibacterial, pain-relieving, and soothing properties — a true Swiss Army knife for eye care!
🫖 Tea Bags (Cold or Warm)
You can also use the herbs above in tea bag form (just don’t reuse them in a cup afterward — even eco-friendly has its limits!) as long as the bags are cold or lukewarm. We’re not here to suffer, right?
Steep two tea bags in hot water for 2–3 minutes, then let them cool to room temperature (or refrigerate for extra freshness).
Next, place them on your closed eyelids for 5–10 minutes.
Note: check that the tea or herbal ingredients do not contain anything you’re allergic to — that would be unfortunate.
Final Word: Grandma’s Remedies for Watery Eyes
Why Are My Eyes Watering?
Watery eyes can be caused by allergies, irritation, eye fatigue, wind, or partial tear duct blockage. Don’t worry — occasional watering is usually harmless.
How to Prevent Watery Eyes Daily
Prevention is better than cure!
Follow our 5 essential rules (hygiene, hydration, screen breaks, sun/blue-light protection, allergy control).
Adopt simple habits like the 20/20/20 rule to reduce eye strain.
Natural Remedies to Soothe Watery Eyes
To soothe your watery eyes, grandma always has a remedy up her sleeve:
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Apply warm compresses to help unblock the tear ducts.
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Consider herbs like chamomile, cornflower, or eyebright, in compresses or infusions.
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Use artificial tears to hydrate and soothe your eyes.
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Limit excessive screen time and, of course, wear effective blue-light blocking glasses.
When to See a Professional for Watery Eyes
See an ophthalmologist if symptoms persist, or if you experience pain, significant redness, swelling, pus discharge, or vision changes.
Comments
Les yeux tres souvent larmoyants.