What Is Tear Duct Obstruction?
In a healthy eye structure, tears flow into the nasal cavity through the tear sac and tear ducts. Tear duct obstruction occurs when these ducts become blocked due to various causes. Sometimes present from birth, tear duct obstruction can also develop later due to causes such as inflammation, nasal surgery, and trauma. As a result of such causes, tears accumulate in the eye instead of flowing into the nasal cavity, and may overflow from between the eyelids onto the cheeks. This can, in turn, lead to many infections.
What Causes Tear Duct Obstruction?
Tear duct obstruction is a problem that can be seen at any age. Most commonly seen in newborn babies and in women after menopause, tear duct obstruction has many different causes. The most common causes of tear duct obstruction are considered in two main groups: congenital and acquired.
Congenital tear duct obstruction can be seen in babies whose tear duct formation was not completed during pregnancy. This condition usually resolves on its own once the baby's development is complete. Acquired causes are known to include sinusitis, tear sac stones, injuries and trauma to the facial area, systemic inflammatory diseases, infections, and tumors.
What Are the Symptoms of Tear Duct Obstruction?
Tear duct obstruction, which can be observed in every age group, has some symptoms. Some of the most common of these symptoms are as follows;
- Swelling at the base of the nose,
- Crusting,
- Excessive watering of the eyes,
- Frequently recurring eye infections,
- Discharge when pressure is applied to the base of the nose,
- Swelling and pain in the inner corner of the eyes,
- Bloody tears.
Each of these symptoms varies according to the extent of the obstruction. Different symptoms are observed in each patient depending on age group, gender, and the extent of the obstruction. If you can identify one or more of these symptoms, you can request an examination at İdeal Kayseri Göz Hastanesi for the diagnosis and treatment of tear duct obstruction. Following a detailed specialist examination, a clear diagnosis is made and a treatment process is applied accordingly.
How Is Tear Duct Obstruction Treated?
Following a diagnosis of tear duct obstruction made by our specialist physicians, who stand out in searches for Kayseri eye doctors, one of the most commonly applied treatments is open surgery. Also known as the Toti operation, this method is a classic operation that has been applied for many years. In addition, thanks to rapidly developing technology, closed endoscopic methods, called internal operations, are also performed. Treatments performed through surgery are usually valid for acquired obstruction seen in adults. If a congenital tear duct obstruction is present, there are different treatment methods applied for infants.
Tear duct obstruction seen in infants is a problem that can resolve on its own after a certain period of time. However, in cases where it does not resolve on its own, massage applications are performed based on the recommendation of specialist physicians. Thanks to these massages, which should be repeated at least 3 to 4 times a day, the chance of opening the blocked ducts has been found to be 95%. The process is also supported with the use of antibiotic drops. All treatments that can be applied at home for duct obstruction problems in infants should be carried out under the guidance of specialists.
For tear duct obstruction treatment, you can make an appointment with the experienced physicians of İdeal Göz Clinic, Prof. Dr. Hakkı DOĞAN, Prof. Dr. Mustafa KOÇ, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Necati DURU.
