Neonatal Lacrimal Duct Obstruction Management

Tears play a significant role in human vision, helping to maintain healthy functions of your eyes by moistening and providing oxygen to the eyeballs. In addition, tears consists of natural antibiotics which can protect the eyes by rinsing away irritants and harmful substances.

For neonates, lacrimal duct blockage is a common disorder of the lacrimal system. Let’s have an immediate learn about this condition to bring the best care for babies, parents!

SIGNS:

• Tearing, which is worse when it turns to chilly, windy or infants have a cold.
• Eye discharge: could be tears, mucus, or pus depending on the blockage location.
• Amount of discharge is increased when gently pressing on the inner corner of lower eyelids.
• Rheum in tear ducts, affecting both eyes about 30% of time during the day.
• These signs may occur as a baby turns to three weeks old. Although the eyes can be tearful but blocked tear duct does not usually cause much discomfort for a baby. In case of tear or purulent discharge is long-lasting, take your baby to see doctors for timely examination.

CAUSES:

The most common reason is incomplete development of tear duct in infants, which can lead to the following problems:

• The valve at the end of the tear duct does not open properly.
• The openings in the eyelids that tears usually flow through have not developed properly.
• The tear ducts are too narrow.

Other less common causes include:

• Infections causing swelling in the face, which puts too much pressure on the tear ducts.
• The nasal bone blocking the path that tears would typically follow into the nose.
• Nasal polyps.
• Cysts or tumors.
• Injury to the tear ducts.

HOW TO MANAGE TEAR DUCT BLOCKAGE IN INFANTS

Most blocked tear duct cases are self-recovered without treatment within the first year of the baby’s life. As a result, doctors tend to recommend conservative treatment and carefully monitoring the infant’s health. This will clear 90 percent of tear duct blockages.

For timely diagnosis and treatment, parents should take babies to see pediatricians immediately if they have excessive tearing, rheum discharge or abnormal tearing with unspecified causes. Besides, because blocked tear ducts are not painful, parents should seek medical advice if the baby has manifestations of discomfort or abnormal sensitivity to light.

Pediatrics – Neonatology, AIH Clinic provide in full of pediatric medical services, including: general health check-up, vaccination, monitoring children’s physical and mental developments, nutrition consultation, diagnostic and therapeutic services.

—————————————————-

Consultation And Appointment 
Hotline: 028.3910.9888 
Register for the exam by email: info-clinic@aih.com.vn 
Website: aihclinic.vn 
Or go directly to AIH Clinic: No. 79, Dien Bien Phu, DaKao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam