Watery eye could be the result of the periocular muscle laxity, which is related to old age or facial muscle paralysis. As a result the pumping machine that pushes the tears from the eye down to the nasal cavity, would be rather weak, and the eye start to waters. The treatment would be to tighten the eyelid surgically.
True lacrimal duct obstruction could be confirmed with simple irrigation of the lacrimal system, and this is done as an outpatient procedure.
The treatment of total or partial lower tear duct obstruction would be surgically with establishing an alternative route for the tears from the lacrimal sac to the nasal cavity through a whole in the lacrimal bone (Dacrycystorhinostomy). The surgery is usually done under general anaesthesia.
The success rate of the Dacrycystorhinostomyis is 80% to 90% in the literature.