Blocked tear duct

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Tear duct blockage

Overview

Symptoms

Treatment

Prevention

Blocked tear duct

Alternative Names:

Dacryostenosis; Blocked nasolacrimal duct

Treatment:

For children with incomplete nasolacrimal duct development, massaging the lacrimal sac area several times a day, as instructed by an ophthalmologist, may be enough to open the tear duct. Persistent cases may require opening by a probing procedure. This may occasionally require anesthesia.

Adults require treatment of the cause of the obstruction. This may re-open the duct if there is minimal damage. Often surgical reconstruction (dacryocystorhinostomy) will be needed to re-establish normal tear drainage and stop the overflow onto the cheek.

Expectations (prognosis):

Congenital tear duct blockage often clears spontaneously by 6 months of age. If it does not clear on its own, the outcome is still likely to be good with treatment.

Tear duct obstruction in adults has a variable outcome depending on the cause.

Complications:

Tear duct blockage may increase the risk of eye infections.

Calling your health care provider:

Anyone with tear overflow onto the cheek requires examination, since one of the possible causes is a tumor. Earlier treatment is more successful, and may be lifesaving.

Review Date: 7/24/2004
Reviewed By: Edward B. Feinberg, MD, MPH, Professor and Chair, Department of Ophthalmology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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