Why are my eyes itchy and watery?
Itchy, watery eyes usually point to allergy rather than infection, and allergy treatment differs from infection treatment. The itch is the distinguishing feature for most people.
- Subject
- Eye conditions
- Topic
- Infections, allergies & injuries
- Kind of question
- Why…
- Last reviewed
- 22 September 2026
In more detail
This matters in Dubai, where seasonal and indoor allergen exposure can be significant for part of the year.
Related guides
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Where this answer sits
It is one of 483 answers in the vision and eye health knowledge base, filed under Eye conditions & diseases in Infections, allergies & injuries . The subject page carries the answers either side of it, and the hub is searchable.
Subjects this question touches
The pages that answer the subject behind the question, rather than the question itself.
- Condition Glaucoma
- Condition Keratoconus
- Condition Retina and macula conditions
- Condition Diabetic eye disease
- Condition Eye infections, allergies and injuries
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
General answers cannot tell you what is happening in your own eyes. Only an examination by a qualified ophthalmologist can do that.
Sources & further reading
We prefer primary sources. Where a claim comes from a manufacturer, a single study or a regulator, it is labelled as such below.
- EyeSmart: eye health information for the public
Patient-facing material from the largest ophthalmology professional body, covering conditions, tests and treatments outside refractive surgery.
Used for Cross-checking patient-facing explanations of non-refractive eye conditions; Describing what tests such as dilation and OCT involve.
Link checked 23 September 2026