Treatment of Blocked Tear Duct

The cause of blocked tear duct determines the treatment option, which may vary from simple conservative methods to surgery.

Conservative treatment of blocker tear duct -

Congenital tear duct blockage often clears by 6 months of age. If the blockage does not clear up on its own, the doctor recommends massage of the lacrimal sac area for 2 to 3months.

If an infection is suspected, the doctor prescribes antibiotics.

Probing and irrigation with saline water -

The doctor flushes a saline solution through the tear drainage system or uses a probe that is inserted through the tiny drainage holes at the corner of your eye (puncta). During this procedure, the puncta usually dilate and if the problem is a narrowed puncta, this probing may resolve the problem. This procedure may require anesthesia. Sometimes, a small tube or stent needs to be placed in the tear duct to keep it open.

Probing & Irrigation with Saline Water: Dacryostenosis Treatment

Surgery -

It is usually the treatment of choice for adults and older children with acquired blocked tear ducts. It is used after other treatment options have failed. If prolonged treatment is not opening the tear duct, a minor surgery such as dacryocystorhinostomy has to be done to open the duct. This surgery involves reconstructing the passageway to re-establish normal tear drainage, and stop the overflow onto the cheek.(5^✔, 1^✔)

References:

What Is a Blocked Tear Duct? - (https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-blocked-tear-duct)
Eyes - Blocked Tear Duct - (https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/eyes-blocked-tear-duct)
About Blocked Tear Ducts - (https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/hw3084)
Blocked Tear Duct - Overview - (https://www.nchmd.org/education/mayo-health-library/details/CON-20156926)
Tear Duct Infection (Dacryocystitis) - (https://www.health.harvard.edu/a_to_z/tear-duct-infection-dacryocystitis-a-to-z)

Published on Sep 24, 2014
Last Updated on Feb 07, 2020

JasonG1985 Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Getting DCR surgury on the 11th at the Shiley Eye Center in San Diego for my closed tear duct.

ctnana Monday, October 10, 2011

did this work for you? i have draining from both my eyes like i am crying and they think there is a blockage somewhere in the tear ducts , have an appt thursday ....just wanted to know if this helped

billr Tuesday, August 21, 2012

surgery does more bad than good avoid

Ajay_bhopal Saturday, March 6, 2010

My new baby got Blocked Tear Duct(Dacryostenosis), the 6 days old baby has to be treated surgically at Holy Family Hospital, Delhi, India on 4th March 2010 by expert doctors.

kush25 Saturday, February 28, 2009

I think my tear duct on the left side is blocked a little because my nose get swollen really bad but the tears in my eye go down fine does anyone know if that sounds like a blocked tear duct?

guest Thursday, March 18, 2010

You may experiment taking
glasses of water with tolerable quantity of
lemon juice. caution:Too much lemon juice may lead to
diarrhea; watch your tolerance limits.
pl. reply if your experiment yields beneficial resulta eiyher immediately or after a few days'

AnneMcIntyre Saturday, January 10, 2009

Dear Pat, I have now also got a blocked tear duct and have been told by my doctor that what you had is able to be done easily with no pain. Did you have a sinus infection before it happened that caused it? only one eye is affected and yes I have a sinus infection.

Pat Weinmann Monday, December 29, 2008

My eye doctor stretched the opening-inserted what felt like a needle & irrigated the duct w/salt water. It did hurt briefly, but it did open the duct up. Eye drops 3X daily followed...so far so good.