Epiphora is the medical term for excessively watery eyes. It most often occurs as a result of insufficient drainage of the tears. Tears overflow onto the face, rather than draining through the tear ducts. Epiphora is caused by either an overproduction of tears or decreased drainage of tears, which can be due to ocular inflammation, infection or obstructed tear drainage. Obstruction often occurs with aging, infection, or in babies - where 1 in 5 are born with a tear duct that is not fully formed. However, in 9 out of 10 cases, the tear duct opens before the baby is 1 years old. Epiphora can also be caused by trauma such as fractures, or soft tissue damage involving the nose or eyelid. If your eyes are tearing indoors and outdoors for more than 3 months, a variety of treatments are available to potentially restore adequate drainage of tears.