What are tear ducts?
The tear duct is the natural route for the evacuation of tears from the eye to the nasal passages. Obstruction of this duct is the most common cause of tearing and eye infections.
The blocked tear duct
A blocked tear duct is a condition that is caused by inflammation in the tear sac and the tear duct.
When this duct is blocked, the tears have nowhere to go and overflow, causing constant tearing, irritation and infection.
Type of blocked tear duct
- Acquired: This is the most common type. It occurs when the blocked tear duct develops in adults or children. It mainly affects women.
- Congenital: There is a congenital form that affects newborns, and which usually resolves on its own in 90% of cases before the age of one.
Causes
Blockages are caused by infections, foreign bodies or other causes, such as:
- Nasal trauma
- Neoplasms of the tear sac or duct
- Bone abnormalities
- Inflammatory diseases such as sarcoidosis or Wegener’s disease
- As a result of surgical trauma
Treatments
Treatment is always surgical and will depend on the cause of the obstruction.
What is the surgery like?
One of the surgeries for obstructed tear ducts is balloon catheter acrioplasty . It is a minimally invasive technique, with no scars, minimal post-surgical complications, rapid recovery and a very high success rate. Dacryocystorhinostomy can also be performed for low-level obstruction and Lester Jones tube placement for upper tear duct obstruction.
About the tear ducts:
- Epiphora (constant and excessive tearing)
- Chronic conjunctivitis and eczema on the eyelids
- There may be swelling and pain in the area of the tear sac.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, if the tear duct obstruction is not treated with surgery, the eye will continue to water, but it will not affect vision.
In approximately 9 out of 10 cases, surgery is effective, but in the rest of the cases, tearing may continue despite treatment.
No. The only way to correct tearing caused by tear duct obstruction is surgery.
Prevention can be helped by following these recommendations: good hand hygiene, proper handling of contact lenses, thorough removal of makeup, and not rubbing your eyes.
It is more common in women or children.
