Eli5: Why do your eyes water when you have a cold?

85 views

Please forgive if this has been asked before. I searched different iterations of this and couldn’t find an answer.

In: 0

3 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

When you have a cold, your body’s immune system is working to fight off the virus that is causing your illness. As part of this process, your body produces extra mucus to help trap and remove the virus from your body. This mucus is typically produced in your nose and sinuses, but it can also be produced in your eyes.

The extra mucus in your eyes can make them feel watery and irritated. This is because the mucus can obstruct the drainage of tears from your eyes, causing them to become more watery. In addition, the irritation caused by the mucus can stimulate the production of more tears, which can further increase the wateriness of your eyes.

You are viewing 1 out of 3 answers, click here to view all answers.