How do you fix a blocked tear?

For a narrowed punctum, your doctor can use a small probe to widen it. They’ll then flush or irrigate the tear duct with a saline solution. This is an outpatient procedure. If an injury caused the blockage, your best approach may be to wait several weeks to see if it heals on its own without any treatment.

What is a blocked tear?

When you have a blocked tear duct, your tears can’t drain normally, leaving you with a watery, irritated eye. The condition is caused by a partial or complete obstruction in the tear drainage system. A blocked tear duct is common in newborns.

How do I unblock my tear duct?

A type of surgery called “DCR” (dacryocystorhinostomy) bypasses the blocked tear duct. Doctors usually do it in adults who haven’t improved with other treatments. They rarely use it in children. DCR creates a new route for tears to drain from the eye.

Do I have a blocked tear duct?

A blocked tear duct occurs when your nasal passageways cannot properly drain tear liquid from your eyes. You may have itchy, irritated or watery eyes. Sometimes, babies are born with blocked tear ducts. A clogged tear duct may heal on its own, or you may need surgery.

Why is my inner eye corner itchy?

Dry eyes. Your glands produce tears to help moisten your eyes and keep them healthy. When there aren’t enough tears to keep your eyes moist, you can experience dry and itchy eyes, especially in the corners. Dry eyes become more common as you get older because your glands produce fewer tears.

What causes tear ducts to clog?

Harmless debris or small particles get stuck in the duct. A broken nose or other injury leaves scar tissue that presses on the tear duct. Small, rounded growths called polyps form in the nose and block the duct. An infection in the eye or nose causes swelling around the tear duct.

Why is my tear duct itchy?

A tear duct infection, or dacryocystitis, can cause itching in the corner of the eye. When a tear duct becomes blocked and tears cannot drain away, bacteria may collect in the area and cause an infection. Inflammation from a cold or sinus infection may cause a blocked tear duct.

Is blocked tear duct painful?

If a tear duct becomes blocked, tears build up and irritate the eyes. This irritation causes painful swelling, makes the eyes appear continuously watery, and increases the risk of infection.

Can a blocked tear duct clear on its own?

Often a blocked tear duct clears up on its own, especially in babies under 6 months old. If your child has a blocked tear duct, your doctor may show you how to massage the eye several times a day at home for a few months. Massaging can help open the blockage.

Where do you massage a blocked tear duct?

Place the tip of your index finger against the side of the child’s nose, next to the affected eye (Picture 2). Press firmly and move your index finger in short downward strokes 3 to 5 times. Repeat these steps 3 times a day: morning, noon and night.