watery eyes

Hally · Post by **Hally** » Wed Apr 09, 2003 4:01 am

Hi folks,
this is my first time doing a first topic but im really concerned about my watery eyes!ive never heard anyone else with this problem.
i was diagnosed with agrophobia/social phobia 10 years ago,and i know anxiety has loads of symptoms,but watery eyes?can that be?its very distressing as it happens when im outside,and people walking passed me in the street,my eyes water so badly that i need a tissue everywhere i go!i darent put make up on as it would be a nightmare!even just talking to someone,my eyes go red and water!

has anyone else got this?could anybody think what it could possibly be?
thanks if you could,lynsey

Emily · Post by **Emily** » Wed Apr 09, 2003 4:08 am

Lynsey:

I was thinking about this topic last night! The past couple of days I've had watery eyes in the evening. For me, I think it's eye fatigue from looking a computer all day, along with make-up that gets in my eyes.

Could it be an allergic reaction to something? I know a lot of people whose allergies bother them, and their eyes water.

It might be just anxiety, too. I'm amazed at what my body comes up with as an anxiety response.

I would talk about it with your doctor if you're really concerned about it. I wouldn't worry, though. Hang in there~

mountaingirl · Post by **mountaingirl** » Wed Apr 09, 2003 3:43 pm

Hi Lynsey. I can relate to your problem of watery eyes. It has been something that I have dealt with all of my life. When I was a little girl, if I got nervous about something, I would blink my eyes a lot because they would be watery. Any time I go into a situation where I am nervous, my eyes start to water. Sometimes it actually feels like I am going to cry but I know it is just my eyes playing tricks on me.

One thing that helps me is to make sure I'm breathing properly. This may sound silly but it seems that when I get nervous, I start breathing very shallow breaths or hardly breathing at all. When I do that, the tension goes to my face and I feel it in my eyes. Although I hate it when my eyes water, I now look at it as one of the first indicators that I'm not dealing with the stress in a positive way. It clues me in that I need to relax and breathe.

I hope this helps.
Pam

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Apr 22, 2003 7:25 pm

Hi Linsey,
Just wanted to say that I went and sometimes still go through that watery eyes thing. Its been happening probably since elementary. I remember it would happen almost anywhere. I would be standing in a crowd or sitting in a crowd listening to a lecture and then my eyes would start blinking real fast. I suppose it would look like I was about to cry or something. Anyways I think it has to do with the anxiety now that Im learning more about this stuff. The breathing teqnique is helping out somewhat. Im still going through the program. I think writing on the forum is kind of a thing that I would not normally do. This is a step for me. Anyways just want to encourage you and let you know that the watery eyes thing happened to me also.

Jenny M. · Post by **Jenny M.** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 2:08 pm

I have anxiety and suffer from watery eyes. It happens often at work when I am talking to clients. People often stare or ask me what's going on with my eyes. I usually lie and say it's an allergy problem. I wish it would stop. If anyone knows how to make it not happen please let me know!

jugray · Post by **jugray** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 1:20 am

This is all very interesting to me. I thought I was just on the verge of crying all the time. I have watery eyes almost daily, but more so when I am depressed or have anxiety. I'm sitting here at the computer with my eyes so watery they almost blurr my vision. At home I lay down and close them then listen to the relaxation cd but at work it's near impossible to do that. I'll try the breathing.

Celeste1 · Post by **Celeste1** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:04 am

It happens to me as well. When I'm having a conversation with someone that I don't know, my eyes will start to water. Sometimes people will ask, "are you okay?" or "are you crying?" I usually say it's because of lack of sleep or allergies but deep down inside I know it's from my anxiety and feeling inadequate. It's better than saying, "yea, I have ocd and a touch of social anxiety so my eyes water a lot."

k-dee · Post by **k-dee** » Mon May 12, 2008 10:53 am

I notice when I have had a emotional things happen that the next day my eyes will feel kind of burny and they get watery very easily. You're not alone.

Rob0000 · Post by **Rob0000** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 6:31 pm

So I have this same problem. Just this week I went through three job interviews, and what I call my nervous crying got progressively worse. I was obviously not hired. I tried to play it off as symptoms of allergies, but I could tell that no one was buying it.
If you think you are alone, you are not. Medication may help. I have read in a number of other forums that Zoloft (or perhaps some other social anxiety medication) can help if you take a small amount before stressful situations. If it is a constant issue, then I would imagine staying on meds might help.
For me, the crying only happens in extremely stressful situations, situations where I am dealing with a superior or someone who I feel is superior, and times when I empathize with another person on a personal level. I will try the breathing that others here have suggested, but I am mostly happy to see that I am not the only one that has to deal with this really annoying problem.

BeatAnxiety07 · Post by **BeatAnxiety07** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 5:47 pm

Originally posted by lynsey25:
Hi folks,
this is my first time doing a first topic but im really concerned about my watery eyes!ive never heard anyone else with this problem.
i was diagnosed with agrophobia/social phobia 10 years ago,and i know anxiety has loads of symptoms,but watery eyes?can that be?its very distressing as it happens when im outside,and people walking passed me in the street,my eyes water so badly that i need a tissue everywhere i go!i darent put make up on as it would be a nightmare!even just talking to someone,my eyes go red and water! has anyone else got this?could anybody think what it could possibly be?
thanks if you could,lynsey

Have you gone to the eye doctor? If you haven't then go and ask him just to reassure yourself that this isn't something physical. Who knows maybe something is wrong with your "glands" that cause them to tear for no reason or maybe you simply have allergies. If both eyes are tearing and it isn't being caused by emotions then I would think it is something allergetic.

Over-all, if you haven't gone to the eye doctor yet, then you should go just to get it checked out.