A Tear Duct __hot__ | Unblocking

Tenderness near the inside corner of the eye.

To understand the blockage, one must first visualize the pathway. Tears are produced by the lacrimal gland above the eye, wash over the cornea, and drain through tiny openings called puncta on the upper and lower eyelids. From there, they travel through the canaliculi into the lacrimal sac, and finally down the nasolacrimal duct, which empties into the nose. This connection explains why we get a runny nose when we cry. A blockage can occur at any point along this journey, causing tears to well up in the eye and overflow onto the face. In adults, the causes often include aging, infection, trauma, or tumors, while in infants, the culprit is typically a membranous tissue at the bottom of the duct that fails to open at birth. unblocking a tear duct

Eyelids sticking together, especially after waking up. How to Unblock a Tear Duct at Home Tenderness near the inside corner of the eye

A blocked tear duct can be caused by a variety of factors, including: From there, they travel through the canaliculi into

When these simple measures fail, however, the real ingenuity of ophthalmology comes into play. The next step is often a procedure called probing and irrigation. Under local anesthesia, a thin, blunt metal probe is gently threaded through the pinpoint opening of the tear duct (the punctum) at the eyelid’s edge. The doctor navigates this probe down the narrow canaliculus, past a one-way valve (the valve of Hasner), and into the nose, physically pushing aside any obstruction. A saline flush then confirms the pathway is clear—a strangely satisfying moment when the patient tastes the salty liquid in the back of their throat. For stubborn blockages in adults, a balloon dacryoplasty may be used, where a tiny inflatable tube is inserted and expanded to stretch the duct open, similar to an angioplasty for the heart.