Treatment Options for Persistent Blocked Tear Ducts
When an infant's watery or sticky eye does not clear up with massage and conservative monitoring by the age of 10 to 12 months, surgical treatment of the blocked tear duct becomes necessary. If left untreated, stagnant fluid in the tear sac can lead to repeated, painful eye infections (dacryocystitis) or even spread to the eye socket.
"In general, the earlier the treatment is started after the age of one year, the higher the success rate. Probing done at the correct age has a 90% to 95% cure rate."
Surgical Options for Blocked Tear Ducts
At Utsav Eye Clinic in Kharghar, our pediatric ophthalmologists offer the following treatment path:
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1.
Tear Duct Probing:
This is a quick, safe, and highly effective daycare procedure. A thin, smooth wire probe is gently passed down the tear duct to poke open the blocked membrane at its end. For the child's comfort, it is done under brief general anesthesia. The child goes home the same day and experiences immediate relief.
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2.
Silicone Tube Intubation:
In older children or if a previous probing was unsuccessful, our surgeon may perform intubation. A microscopic silicone tube is placed inside the tear duct and left in place for 3 to 6 months. This acts as a stent to keep the channel open while it heals, and is removed easily in the clinic later.
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3.
Dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR):
In very rare cases where the tear duct is completely closed off or narrow due to scarring, a DCR surgery may be performed. This creates a new channel directly from the tear sac into the nose, bypassing the blocked duct entirely.
Post-Operative Recovery
Following the probing or intubation procedure, the eye may be covered with a light patch which is removed on the same or next day. Post-operative care includes:
- Instilling antibiotic and mild anti-inflammatory eye drops for 2 to 4 weeks.
- Avoiding swimming and dust/sand play for about 2 weeks.
- Returning to school or nursery within 2 to 3 days after the procedure.
At Utsav Eye Clinic, our operating suites are fully equipped with specialized microsurgical instrumentation tailored for pediatric patients to ensure safety and precision.