excessive watering of one eye

For about a week, I have had excessive watering of my left eye. It seems to be worse during the day, while I am at work. I work in a very old school building with lots of dry heat and dust/mold. I thought it may be an allergy, but I am not sure why I am only tearing in one eye.

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

It could be due to a foreign body like a sand particle or a piece of fiberglass or metal in the eye or a very signifcant allergy or even a scratch on the eye.  It can also be caused by a blockage in the the nasolacrimal duct which takes excess tears away from the eye into the nose for you to swallow, or a loose lower lid which lets the tears go down the cheek. Basically you can have excess tear production or poor management of the excess tear drainage into the nose.  See an ophthalmologist to try to find out what is going on.

MJK MD