Crocodile tears: why does the eye water while eating?
Does your eye water while you eat? Dr. Mahmoud El Samkary explains crocodile tears syndrome, its link to the facial nerve, and its treatment.
A patient came to Dr. Mahmoud El Samkary complaining that one eye watered whenever he ate, and stopped when he finished eating. On questioning, it turned out he had had facial nerve palsy six months earlier. This condition is called crocodile tears.
What causes crocodile tears?
Normally the facial nerve stimulates the tear gland. After an injury, the facial nerve may heal abnormally and start stimulating the tear gland by mistake during eating or chewing, so the eye waters.
Treatment
- Botox injection into the tear gland: to reduce tear production.
- Facial nerve repair: using a nerve graft, so the nerve works normally again and tearing is no longer linked to eating or chewing.
Videos on this topic
Crocodile tears and the facial nerve
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