Blocked tear duct


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Symptoms

By Mayo Clinic staff

Signs and symptoms may be caused by the blocked tear duct or from an infection that develops because of the blockage. Look for:

  • Excessive tearing
  • Recurrent eye inflammation (conjunctivitis)
  • Recurrent eye infections
  • Painful swelling near the inside corner of the eye
  • Mucus or  pus discharge  from the lids and surface of the eye
  • Blurred vision

When to see a doctor
If your eye has been watery and leaking or is continually irritated or infected, make an appointment to see your doctor. Some blocked tear ducts are caused by tumors pressing on the tear drainage system, and quick identification of the tumor can give you more treatment options.

Causes Definition
References
  1. Riordan-Eva P, et al. Vaughan & Asbury's General Ophthalmology. 18th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2011. http://www.accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=720. Accessed Jan. 3, 2013.
  2. Dantas RRA. Lacrimal drainage system obstruction. Seminars in Ophthalmology. 2010; 25:98.
  3. Cohen NA, et al. Prevention and management of lacrimal duct injury. Otolaryngology Clinics of North America. 2010;43:781.
  4. Dacryostenosis. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/print/eye_disorders/eyelid_and_lacrimal_disorders/dacryostenosis.html. Accessed Jan. 6, 2013.
  5. Nasolacrimal duct obstruction. American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. http://www.aapos.org/terms/conditions/72. Accessed Jan. 4, 2013.
  6. Yanoff M, ed., et al. Ophthalmology. 3rd ed. Edinburgh, U.K.: Mosby Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/212799885-2/0/1869/0.html. Accessed Jan. 3, 2013.
  7. Karim R, et al. A comparison of external and endoscopic endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy for acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction. Clinical Ophthalmology. 2011;5:979.
  8. Robertson DM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Jan. 14, 2013.
DS01096 Feb. 13, 2013

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