728x90
my iParenting
From Our Sponsors
e-newsletters
Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters

new terms of use
new privacy policy
award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Home › Articles › General Health › Blocked Tear Ducts

Blocked Tear Ducts

Nothing to Cry About

By Lisa A. Goldstein

Pages:  1  2  3  

Treatment Options

"The initial management is conservative, as 90 percent of obstructions will resolve by 12 months of age," Dr. Friedman says. Indeed, Dr. Goei says it's reasonable to give the baby time for spontaneous resolution as the baby grows and develops. Very often, the membrane will open and develop without any treatment.

Conservative treatment includes a specific massage in the area of the tear duct. If the child has a lot of mucous discharge coming from the eye, antibiotic drops may be prescribed in conjunction with massage. Massage should be performed a few times a day.

"I advise parents that a good time to do it is when the baby is having a bottle," Dr. Friedman says. "The baby is usually distracted by the feeding and not disturbed by the parent's simultaneous massage. It also helps to establish a regular massage routine."

For both Shannon Boehmer's daughter, and later, her son, the blocked tear duct lasted only a few days, with each day looking a little less congested. Boehmer, of Philadelphia, Pa., also saw benefit from warm baby soap compresses.

Robin Nolan of Raleigh, N.C., had a different experience. Her daughter's eyes started getting goopy around 4 weeks of age. The doctor gave her drops, thinking it might be pinkeye as her son had just started school. The doctor recommended massage, which didn't work. Nolan also tried ointments and warm compresses.

"I got so sick of wiping her little eyes, and they got red and angry," Nolan says. "She got sick of me poking at her too. My pediatrician said I could take her to a pediatric ophthalmologist and have [her eyes] fixed surgically when she was 4 months old. I said I would continue to massage them, and I would wait."

Finally, Nolan was so sick of the blocked tear ducts that she met with the pediatric ophthalmologist, who checked her daughter's eyes and scheduled a procedure.


Pages:  1  2  3  

Want to see more?

Comments

There are no comments for this article yet.Be the first to add a comment.

Post As:
Enter your comment below:
Title
Comment Text
CAPTCHA
Please note that any comments submitted become the property of Disney Family / iParenting and can be edited and posted at our discrection.