How to Clear a Blocked Tear Duct
To tell if you have a blocked tear duct, look for thick, overflowing tears that crust over when they dry, as well as blurred vision, blood-tinged tears, or pus-like discharge in the eyelids. At home, try applying a warm compress to your eye to open the duct and allow it to drain more easily. If your symptoms persist, visit your doctor so they can give you a diagnosis and recommend treatment. They will probably prescribe eye drops to clear the ducts, or antibiotics if you have an infection.
Know what causes a blocked tear duct. A blocked tear duct (also known as dacryocystitis) happens when there is an obstruction in the passageway that connects the eyes to the nose or when the duct fails to open. This is most common in newborn babies, but it can also happen to adults as a result of infection, injury or tumor. Here are the common causes: Congenital blockage, which happens often in newborns Age-related changes Infections in the eye Trauma to the face Tumors Cancer treatments Recognize the symptoms of a blocked tear duct. The most common symptom is increased tearing in the eye. These tears may overflow to the face. When suffering from a blocked tear duct, tears may be a little bit thicker than normal and crust over as they dry. Other symptoms include: Recurrent eye inflammation or infection. Blurred vision. Mucus or pus-like discharge in the eye lids. Blood-tinged tears. Fever. See your doctor or ophthalmologist for a diagnosis. Physical examination by a medical professional is required in order to diagnose a blocked tear duct. While simple inflammation might be causing the blockage, it could also be a tumor or another serious medical problem, so it's important to see your doctor. To test for a blocked tear duct, the doctor will flush out the eye using a special liquid that has a flavor. If the flavor cannot be tasted in the back of the throat, then a blocked tear duct will likely be diagnosed. Other tests may include an X-ray or CT scan of the tear duct area (called a dacryocystogram). The doctor will also ask you to describe your symptoms, which are of great clinical value as they can help to rule out other eye conditions like congenital conjunctivitis and glaucoma. Cleanse the area often. Use a clean washcloth and warm water to wipe away the drainage several times a day, so it doesn't interfere with vision. This is especially important if the drainage is being caused by an infection that could spread to the other eye. Apply a warm compress to promote drainage. A warm compress can open it up and allow it to drain more easily. Press the warm compress against the top of the tear duct for three to five minutes, up to five times a day until the blockage clears. To make a warm compress, you can use a warm, damp towel or dip a cotton ball in warm water or chamomile tea (which has soothing properties). Make sure the warm compress isn't too hot, or it could cause redness and pain. Try lacrimal sac massages to unblock the duct. Lacrimal sac massage can be used to open up the tear duct and encourage drainage. Your doctor may show you how to perform this massage on yourself or on your baby to clear a tear duct. To perform the massage, place the index fingers at the inner corners of the eyes, close to the sides of the nose. Apply pressure to this spot for several seconds, then release. Repeat this 3 to 5 times per day. Always remember to wash your hands before performing a lacrimal sac massage, as you don't want to risk introducing bacteria to the eyes and causing an infection. Place breast milk in the eyes to kill bacteria. This method may help babies with blocked tear ducts, though there is limited evidence that it is effective. Breast milk contains antimicrobial properties that can help to fight off infection in the blocked tear duct, while also lubricating the eye and minimizing irritation. Place a few drops of breast milk onto your index finger, then allow it to drip into the baby's affected eye. You can do this up to six times per day. Again, it's very important that you wash your hands thoroughly before doing this, to avoid introducing bacteria to the baby's eyes. Use antibiotic eye drops or ointment. Eye drops and ointments are usually prescribed first for blocked tear ducts. You will need to visit your doctor to get a prescription. To use the eye drops, shake the bottle well, tilt your head back, then place the recommended number of drops into the eye. Close the eye for 30 seconds to a minute to allow the eye drops to be absorbed. Always wash your hands before using eye drops to avoid introducing bacteria to the eye. After applying the eyes drops, wash the hands again. For children, the instruction is the same, but the assistance of another adult will be needed to prevent the child from moving. Take oral antibiotics to fight tear duct infection. Oral antibiotics will be prescribed to help with the blocked tear duct if the cause of the blocked duct is infection. Antibiotics are substances that are used to inhibit the growth of bacteria in a specific area of the body. These medicines will not open up your tear duct, but they do help cure the infection. Oral antibiotics are usually recommended for gonococcal and chlamydial infections of the eye. Broad-spectrum antibiotics are generally used for bacterial conjunctivitis. Have the blocked tear duct probed and irrigated. Dilation, probing, and irrigation is a minimally invasive treatment that can also be done to clear a blocked tear duct. This procedure is done as an outpatient procedure that is really easy for an adult. For a baby, it is usually performed under general anesthesia. The procedure takes about 30 minutes. The procedure is performed by dilating the puncta (the two little holes in the eyelid) with a tiny metal dilating tool. After that, a probe is moved through the passageway until it reaches the nose. When the probe reaches the nose the passage is irrigated using a sterile liquid. If you (or your child) are set to receive this treatment, it's important that you avoid taking aspirin, ibuprofen, or another over-the-counter NSAID in the two weeks before the surgery, as it could lead to bleeding. Please discuss all medication and supplements you are taking with your doctor prior to procedure. Consider "stenting" or intubation treatment. Intubation is another minimally invasive treatment option. Similar to probing and irrigation, its goal is to open the blockage in the tear duct. General anaesthesia is given to the patient to make him or her sleep. During the procedure, a thin tube is then inserted through the tear sac at the corners of the eyes until it reaches the nose. This tube is then left in the duct for three to four months to allow the tear duct to drain and prevent it from getting blocked again. The tube itself is barely noticeable, but after the surgery certain precautions must be taken to prevent infection. You must avoid rubbing your eyes in case you move or damage the tube and you must always remember to wash your hands before touching your eyes. Undergo surgery as a last resort. Surgery is the last treatment option. When the tear duct cannot be unblocked using one of the methods described above, it needs to be removed entirely in a procedure known as a dacryocystorhinostomy. A dacryocystorhinostomy is done by creating a bypass communication between the tear duct and the nose, which allows the tears to drain. Laser dacryocystorhinostomy involves an endoscope that has a laser that can cut through body tissues. The laser will cut a hole in the nasal bone to connect the tear duct and the nasal cavity. A fistula is then inserted in the duct, serving as the passageway of the tears. 
Know what causes a blocked tear duct. Recognize the symptoms of a blocked tear duct. See your doctor or ophthalmologist for a diagnosis. Cleanse the area often. Apply a warm compress to promote drainage. Try lacrimal sac massages to unblock the duct. Place breast milk in the eyes to kill bacteria. Use antibiotic eye drops or ointment. Take oral antibiotics to fight tear duct infection. Have the blocked tear duct probed and irrigated. Consider "stenting" or intubation treatment. Undergo surgery as a last resort. 