Why do my tears overflow when I am laughing?
SEP 08, 2023
Question:
I tear up whenever I laugh, or sometimes if I even smile too hard. We're not talking about laughing until you cry, we're talking about something that's barely funny that I respond to with a slight giggle, at most. I can't figure out why my eyes start overflowing with tears every time I laugh, even just a little. What could be causing this?
Answer:
There are three reasons that come to mind about why your eyes tear so easily. One cause would be an alteration of the normal anatomy of your lids and tear ducts when you laugh. This could stretch or even close the opening to the proper drainage of your tears. The other would be a neurologic condition that affects the rate of tear formation. The third reason could be that your nerves taking care of your facial muscles and tearing system are abnormally connected. This can occur when you are developing as an infant or after trauma when your tissues heal. This can be complex and I suggest you see your ophthalmologist soon to evaluate your condition.
This question was originally answered on Jun. 18, 2013.