Tear duct obstruction
Also known as watery eye, tear duct obstruction can affect new-born babies.
Tear ducts are structures located inside the upper and lower corner of the eye. These ducts drain tears from the eyes down to the back of the nose. All new born babies are born with tiny ducts but some babies’ ducts are not yet completely open.
What are the symptoms of tear duct obstruction?
A commonly reported symptom is constant watering of the eye, where tears run down the babies’ cheek. Babies with this condition are more prone to contracting conjunctivitis where antibiotic eye drops/syrups will be use to eliminate the infection. Luckily, 90% of babies with an obstructed tear duct tend to naturally open before they are 1 year old.
What are the treatment options for tear duct obstruction?
Firstly, a non-invasive approach is preferred for treatment. This can include a tear duct massage with warm compresses to help open up the obstructed tear duct along with antibiotics for any associated conjunctivitis.
If the previously mentioned treatments are unsuccessful, a final option would be surgery to manually open the tear duct.