Eyes water from eye contact

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My Son has ADD and I am keeping an eye out to see if he in fact has AS (I have got it), and the other day he did this strange thing which I have never seen before. A lady was talking with him and all of a sudden he turned his head away and pushed it into me and his eyes were red and watering. He later said that his head also felt cold. Apparently this happens to him often, and we finally narrowed it down that it happens when he is talking with people.
I realised that this happens to me too if I make myself do eye contact. My eyes suddenly physically can't handle it and they start to water. I get a 'shivery' feeling as they do this, which might be the 'cold' feeling my Son is talking about.

Does anyone else experience this?

That's very interesting. I get very uncomfortable as most do with it. But I've never evaluated in what manner that discomfort manifests itself. I do know I often feel the need to rub my eyes as if they were tired or sore. And I do get a tingly feeling in the back of my head and my ears raise.

He's a champ to maintain the endurance of eye contact like that at a young age.

Last edited by briankelley on 06 May 2013, 8:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Maybe it's like eye strain or something? Are you trying really hard to focus on the other person's eyes or are you intentionally or accidentally not blinking as often?

I think it's probably a neurological trigger somewhat similar to the fight or flight response, having psyical manifestations. Just like one can break out in a cold sweat, get chills, goosebumps etc.

Yeah he is definitely a champ I reckon

Thanks for explaining it in different words, specifically like that, that helps a lot!


I don't think so... even though I do have some eye issues (bit of a lazy eye, can't go cross eyed) I don't feel it is linked to that. That usually results in tired eyes and a headache. I am not sure about the frequency of blinking though, I will think about that one...


Wow, that is an interesting explanation. It could very well be. I do get a moment of fear/panic before I need to look away. Sometimes it feels as though I have to quickly look away before I get sucked into their eyes, somehow. It feels too intimate/intense and really wrong. Or sometimes my eyes just get watery regardless of how I feel mentally...

LOL "sucked into their eyes". I like that. It's just too close for comfort, even if they're standing five feet away. It feels like they're getting closer and closer and you feel like you're getting swallowed up to be devoured.

Look away, look away...

Very well put!!