Causes of lacrimal duct blockage
Lacrimal duct obstruction refers to the inability of tears to flow out of the eyes. Common reasons include abnormalities in the lacrimal duct, trauma or infection.
The structure of lacrimal passage is complex, which is composed of lacrimal dots, lacrimal ducts, lacrimal sac and nasolacrimal ducts. When one of these parts has a problem, it may lead to blockage of the lacrimal passage.
The common reasons for lacrimal passage blockage are: 1. lacrimal point blockage; 2. Lacrimal duct stenosis or occlusion; 3. dacryocystitis or cyst; 4. Inadequate nasolacrimal duct.
Symptoms of lacrimal duct blockage
The blockage of the lacrimal passage will lead to the failure of normal drainage of tears, causing retention of tears. Common symptoms include:
1. Overflow of tears: The patient's tears will keep flowing, even if there is no crying or emotional excitement.
2. Red eyes: because tears cannot be discharged in time, the eyes will become red due to irritation.
3. Eye pain: retention of tears will cause eye discomfort or pain.
4. Increased eye secretions: due to the inability of tears to drain out, the eyes will produce excessive secretions, such as eye excrement, eye scab, etc.
Treatment of lacrimal duct blockage
For the treatment of lacrimal duct obstruction, different treatment methods may be used according to the specific condition.
1. Conservative therapy: For mild obstruction of lacrimal passage, you can promote excretion by keeping the eyes clean, applying hot compress and massaging the lacrimal passage.
2. Drug treatment: Antibiotics or anti-inflammatory drugs can be used to treat the obstruction of lacrimal passage caused by inflammation such as dacryocystitis.
3. Lacrimal passage flushing: Some patients may need to use lacrimal passage flushing to remove obstruction in the lacrimal passage.
4. Surgical treatment: patients with abnormal lacrimal duct structure or severe obstruction may need surgical treatment, such as lacrimal duct probing, nasolacrimal duct dilation, etc.
Consequences of lacrimal duct blockage
If the blockage of the lacrimal passage is not handled in a timely and effective manner, it may lead to the following consequences:
1. Eye infection: retention of tears can lead to bacteria breeding and eye infection, which is manifested as redness, eyelid swelling, increased secretion, etc.
2. Keratitis: Poor drainage of tears will cause dryness of the eye surface, leading to keratitis, which is characterized by decreased vision, pain, photophobia, etc.
3. Lacrimal sac abscess: The retention time of tears in the lacrimal sac is too long, which is easy to lead to lacrimal sac infection. In case of lacrimal sac abscess, antibiotic treatment or surgical drainage should be carried out in time.
4. Impact on quality of life: due to persistent epiphoria and eye discomfort, the quality of life of patients may be affected, including the impact on aesthetics and social interaction.
Summary
Lacrimal duct obstruction is a disease caused by abnormal or damaged internal structure of the lacrimal duct. Common symptoms include epiphora, red eyes, eye pain, and increased secretion. The treatment methods include conservative therapy, drug therapy, lacrimal passage irrigation and surgical treatment. If not handled in time, obstruction of the lacrimal passage may lead to eye infection, keratitis, lacrimal sac abscess and affect the quality of life. Therefore, patients should seek medical advice as soon as possible and receive treatment from professional doctors. As a professional ophthalmic hospital, Guangzhou Zhongshan Ophthalmology Department is committed to the diagnosis and treatment of lacrimal duct obstruction and provides high-quality medical services for patients.
