Why Your Watery Eyes Might Actually Be Dry Eye Disease
You wake up with eyes that feel sore, gritty, or blurry. As the day goes on, they start to water a lot. It feels like your eyes are crying for no reason. Sound familiar?
Many people assume that watery eyes mean they have enough or even too many tears. But ironically, watery eyes can actually be a symptom of Dry Eye Disease.
This condition is far more common than most people realise. And unfortunately, many go undiagnosed for years, relying on eye drops, antihistamines, or compresses that offer only temporary relief.
In this blog, we’ll explain how your watery eyes could be a sign of something deeper, what causes this strange paradox, and what a proper treatment journey might look like so you can finally find comfort, clarity, and control.
What Is Dry Eye Disease?
Dry Eye Disease (DED) is not just a temporary irritation. It’s a chronic inflammatory condition that affects the surface of your eyes and the quality of your tears.
Healthy eyes produce a balanced tear film made up of three layers:
Oil (lipid) – stops tears evaporating too quickly
Water (aqueous) – provides moisture
Mucus (mucin) – spreads the tears evenly
When any of these layers is out of balance due to age, screen use, hormones, or gland dysfunction, your eyes can feel dry, irritated, or inflamed, even if they appear to be watery.
“DED is a chronic inflammatory skin and gland disease that can also be influenced by systemic health issues,” explains Dr Rolando Toyos, inventor of IPL for Dry Eye.
Why Dry Eyes Can Cause Watery Eyes
This may sound contradictory, but here’s what’s really happening:
When your tear film becomes unstable, usually due to Meibomian Gland Dysfunction - MGD, (where the oil glands in your eyelids stop producing quality oil), your tears evaporate too fast. This leaves the surface of your eye exposed, dry, and inflamed.
In response, your eyes overcompensate by flooding themselves with watery (but low-quality) tears. These tears are often too watery to help; they roll down your face without relieving the underlying dryness. These tears often contain many inflammatory factors which further damage the ocular surface.
This process is called reflex tearing, and it’s the eye’s emergency response to irritation. It can cause:
Constant watering
Blurred or fluctuating vision
A gritty or sandy sensation
Heightened sensitivity to wind, light, or screens
So, although your eyes seem “watery,” they’re actually crying out for help.
Read more about reflex tearing on Healthdirect Australia.
Are You at Risk? Common Causes of Dry Eye
Dry Eye Disease affects people of all ages, but it’s especially common in those over 40, or anyone with the following risk factors:
Hormonal changes (especially around menopause or andropause)
Prolonged screen time (which reduces blink rate)
Contact lens wear
Rosacea or blepharitis
Dry environments, wind or smoke exposure
Certain medications – including antihistamines, antidepressants, and blood pressure drugs
Autoimmune conditions (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis or Sjögren's Syndrome)
Some patients also have underlying gut or hormone imbalances that affect tear quality — which is why a whole-body approach is so important.
Why Eye Drops Alone May Not Help
It’s common for people with watery eyes to reach for lubricating drops. And while that may help temporarily, it often doesn’t address the root cause especially if the problem lies in your oil glands or inflammation.
Over-the-counter drops may even wash away natural healing compounds in your tear film if used excessively, according to Dr Toyos.
In some cases, compresses and ointments can worsen inflammation or disrupt your natural tear film which is why an evidence-based, personalised plan is essential.
How Dry Eye Solution Approaches Treatment Differently
At Dry Eye Solution, the goal is not just to soothe symptoms, it’s to treat the root cause using a multi-layered, whole-person approach:
1. Diagnosis That Goes Deeper
We use advanced diagnostics to examine:
Tear water volume
Oil layer of tear film
Meibomian Gland appearance and function
Corneal and ocular surface damage due to inflammation
Skin conditions like rosacea or blepharitis
Lifestyle, diet, hormone or gut issues
2. World-Exclusive Toyos Protocols
Dry Eye Solution clinics are the only clinics in Australia using protocols developed by Dr Toyos, the inventor of IPL for Dry Eye. These combine:
IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) to restore oil flow and reduce inflammation
Meibomian gland expression after each session
Custom-formulated therapies for mites, rosacea, and scarring
Amniotic membrane treatments for corneal healing
Guided lifestyle and diet recommendations to reduce triggers long-term
3. Whole-Body Focus
Dr Toyos’ Dry Eye Diet explores how systemic inflammation, poor gut health, and hormonal shifts can worsen Dry Eye. At Dry Eye Solution, your care includes support with:
Anti-inflammatory nutrition
Hormone or gut health referrals
Skin and makeup guidance
Emotional well-being and stress support
“Success is peace of mind, not just symptom relief,” says founder Liz Barrett. “We’re here for the long haul.”
Could You Be Missing the Signs?
If you experience watery eyes regularly, especially with discomfort, irritation, or blurry vision, it’s worth asking:
Do I use eye drops more than once a day?
Does screen time or wind make it worse?
Do my eyes water even when they’re sore or gritty?
Have I tried treatments that didn’t work?
Have I ever had my Meibomian Glands assessed?
If you answered yes to any of these, you may be experiencing Dry Eye Disease even if you’ve never been told so.
Next Steps: Get Clarity, Not Just Drops
If you’ve been putting up with watery eyes and relying on quick fixes, it might be time to take a more informed approach. Dry Eye Disease can often go unrecognised, but the right assessment can uncover the real cause behind your discomfort.
Start by taking our 1-Minute Dry Eye Quiz to see if your symptoms may indicate Dry Eye Disease. Then, book a free 15-minute telehealth consultation with one of our trained clinicians.
Even if you're not ready to begin treatment, this first conversation can offer clarity, reassurance, and practical next steps with no pressure.
There will come a day when you won’t remember what it was like to live like this. Let’s get you there.