What Is a Blocked Tear Duct?
Tears that lubricate your eyes drain via a little aperture in the corner of your eye. The liquid reaches your nose and is absorbed and expelled by your body.
A full or partial obstruction (blockage) in the nasal (nose) channels that empty tears is known as a blocked tear duct. Your eyes may feel scratchy, inflamed, and watery if you have a blocked tear duct. Nasolacrimal duct blockage is another name for a clogged tear duct. Tears are known as lacrimal.
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How Does the Tear System Work?
Your tear system keeps your eyes moist but not excessively wet in most cases. There are three parts to your tear system:
- Tears are produced by the lacrimal glands.
- Puncta are little apertures in the corner of your eye that allow tears to escape.
- The rest of your tear liquid is drained into the nose through the nasolacrimal ducts, which link to the puncta.
What is Tear Ducts?
The nasolacrimal ducts are sometimes known as tear ducts. They appear at the outer corner of your eye closest to your nose. They pass beneath the skin and attach to the bones of your face and nose.
What are the effects of a blocked tear duct on my body?
Tears cannot flow into the nose through the nasolacrimal ducts when a tear duct is obstructed. Your tears, on the other hand, stay in your eye. As a result, your eyes get unpleasant and moist.
What is a partial tear duct blockage?
A partial tear duct block can result from a thin tear duct (dacryostenosis). Tears may pile up and not flow completely if you have a partial blockage. Infection can result from a buildup of tears. If you have a partial blockage, your doctor would most likely employ the same therapies as if you have a complete blockage.
Who Might Get a Blocked Tear Duct?
Babies are prone to blocked tear ducts. in most cases, a blocked tear duct will resolve without any specific treatment.
The following conditions are associated with an increased risk of tear duct blockages in adults:
- A chronic eye infection, such as uveitis.
- Glaucoma.
- History of eye or sinus surgery.
- Experience in cancer treatments, such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy.
What Causes a Blocked Tear Duct?
Anyone can suffer from blocked tear ducts at any age. There are several reasons for blocked tear ducts, including:
- Age: Getting older may cause your puncta to naturally shrink.
- Congenital blockages: Some babies have insufficient tear ducts when they are born (dactylitis).
- Infection: Chronic sinus infections or eye infections may cause obstructions and blockage in tear docs.
- Injury: Even small scratches or dirt particles can obstruct the tear ducts.
- Tumors: Blocking of tear ducts can be caused by tumors anywhere near or in the nose.
Signs and Symptoms of a Blocked Tear Duct in Adults
Watery eyes or persistent tearing are the most noticeable signs of a blocked tear duct. Other symptoms include:
- Seeing things blurry.
- Eyelids crusted over.
- The drainage of mucus or pus around the eyes.
- A reddish tinge appears on the white portion of your eye.
- Intense swelling in the corner of your eye.
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Sign and Symptoms of a Blocked Tear Duct in Infants
Tears aren’t produced by newborns until they are a few weeks of age. A blocked tear duct in a baby may go undetected for a long time. The following are some of the signs of a blocked tear duct in a baby as they become older:
There is usually some redness around your baby’s eye, caused by him rubbing it.
Tears are running down the cheek rather than out of the corner of the eye.
There is a pool of tears at the corner of the eye, but they are not draining.
The baby’s eye may be discharged or filled with mucus.
What is the Treatment for a Blocked Tear Duct in Adults?
The treatment for a blocked tear duct is determined by the cause. If you have a tumor, for example, your therapy will be focused on eliminating or diminishing the tumor.
Additional treatment options may include:
- Medications: If the obstruction was caused by an eye infection, your doctor might give oral antibiotics or prescription eyedrops.
- Dilation, probing, and flushing: The space at the corner of your eye is expanded by your provider. Your provider will then inject fluid into the tear duct using a tiny probe. This “flushing” usually clears the obstruction, at least for a while.
- Stenting: A tiny, hollow tube (stent) is inserted through the puncta and into the tear duct by your physician. Tears flow appropriately thanks to the tube. The tubes are usually left in place for three months. A little bit of the tube will be seen out of the corner of your eye.
- Balloon catheter dilation: YA tiny, inflated balloon is inserted into the tear duct by your physician. The balloon is then inflated a few times to clear the blockage. This treatment is frequently performed under general anesthesia (drugs to keep you sleeping).
Snip punctoplasty: Two to three little small incisions are made around your puncta by your physician. The tear duct aperture is widened by these incisions. Partially blocked arteries are commonly treated by snip punctoplasty.
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What is the treatment for a blocked tear duct in babies?
A blocked tear duct in a baby usually clears up on its own. The baby’s tear ducts may develop and clear the obstruction throughout the first several months after birth.
A little piece of tissue may still be restricting the passage of tears within the nose of a baby. A unique eyelid rubbing method may be taught to you by your baby’s caregiver. This massage helps to open the muscle, allowing tears to flow properly.
Providers can utilize dilation and flushing, balloon catheters, or stents if a watch-and-wait strategy does not work. These medicines are effective in both children and adults. During the surgery, however, a general anesthetic is used to keep the newborns motionless and tranquil.
Blocked Tear Duct surgery in Iran
Iran has been a popular destination for health tourism. A great number of internationally famous doctors and surgeons are in Iran, performing their professional careers. Thankfully, eye surgery and tear duct surgery are among those many treatments you can seek in Iran’s hospitals. The reason for this popularity is highly skilled and experienced doctors in Iran with highly equipped clinics around the country.
Also, due to economic crises, Iran has a very low currency compared to the USD. This makes your medical trip to Iran a very cheap option. Surprisingly, this is the only time you pay less and get more.
Why CarefulTrip?
CarefulTrip is an experienced medical company. We provide you with the best medical services to help you have a great time in Iran while going through your treatment journey. In the case of tear duct surgery, Carefultrip has highly qualified surgeons and modern clinics for eye surgeries. Every year, our patients come to Iran to have their tear duct surgery in Iran and leave the country with peace of mind. This comfort comes from our exclusive services in treatment procedures and accommodations in Iran. Call us at CarefulTrip to ask about our services.
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