Lacrimal duct obstruction can be caused by anatomical abnormalities, trauma and infectious diseases. Treatment is mainly pharmacological or surgical, depending on the cause.
Many infants are born with obstructed lacrimal ducts. The lacrimal drainage system may not be fully developed or there may be ductal abnormalities. A blockage of the nasolacrimal duct does not open, and the appearance is that the child is always tearing and causing a conjunctival infection. In this case, since the child is still developing, the blocked nasolacrimal duct may recover on its own as the development is sound. However, for children with severe symptoms, they can be treated with an emergency nasolacrimal duct probe followed by placement of a tube. The placement of the tube facilitates the development of the nasolacrimal duct and may allow the disease to recover on its own.
Some traumatic diseases of the periocular area can cause problems such as tearing of the nasolacrimal duct and complete dissection due to violence. During treatment, it is necessary to reconstruct a patent nasolacrimal duct or recreate the channel through which the tears flow into the nasal cavity, depending on the case. In general, if the original nasolacrimal duct structure is still intact, anastomosis can be performed directly and can be restored later with a through probe. In cases where the damage is severe and anastomosis is not possible, the connection between the lacrimal sac and the nasal cavity needs to be reconstructed.
Recurrent ocular infections can lead to narrowing of the nasolacrimal duct due to the repeated irritating effect of inflammation. During the treatment process, one is to treat the eye infection with aggressive medication, and the other needs to be combined with nasolacrimal duct exploration and dilation to restore the diameter of the nasolacrimal duct. The different causes of nasolacrimal duct occurrence determine the different treatment methods. Appropriate treatment measures need to be taken according to the specific situation.