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Blocked Tear Ducts
Nothing to Cry About
By Lisa A. Goldstein
If your baby wakes up one morning with eyes closed tight and filled with a yellow, tough, sticky substance oozing out of them, don't be alarmed. It could be as simple as blocked or clogged tear ducts. This is a fairly common problem and is often temporary.
According to Dr. Ilana B. Friedman, director of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus at Montefiore Medical Center in New York, the technical term for a blocked or clogged tear duct is a nasolacrimal duct obstruction. "This term is descriptive of the tear drainage system in that the lacrimal (tear) system, which begins at the opening of the tear duct, then drains into a duct that extends down into the nasal cavity and ends in an opening there through which the tears drain," Dr. Friedman says. Most commonly, a congenital blockage is a result of the membrane at the end of the duct in the nasal portion that has not opened prior to birth or the first few days of life.
What should you look for? Dr. Friedman lists the signs most commonly seen by parents:
- Excessive tearing.
- Sticky/matted eyelids.
- Mucous discharge that accumulates on the lashes and lids.
The discharge is due to an abnormal tear pump, which predisposes the baby to infections, says Dr. Stephanie Goei, a pediatric ophthalmologist with the Medical College of Georgia Children's Medical Center in Augusta, Ga. Excessive tearing is because the tears aren't properly exiting through the tear ducts. Redness of the eyes or skin around the eyes is another symptom, caused by irritation from the salt content of the tears.
"Check with your pediatrician to make sure there's nothing else wrong with the eye, since tearing, discharge and redness are also signs of infections, allergies, inflammation, glaucoma, corneal abrasions or foreign bodies," Dr. Goei says.
Many pediatricians will recommend seeing a pediatric ophthalmologist for evaluation, Dr. Friedman says. A full examination of the eyes, vision and tear drainage system will be performed to confirm the suspected diagnosis and to rule out any other possible causes.
