Plugged tear duct?

Question

My son, who is 10 months, has always has an accumulation of yellow puss on his left eye. I was told it was a plugged tear duct and it would heal on it's own by 9 months(from the dr). I also heard that if it didn't he'd need surgery!?(i'm scared to take him back to the dr, thinking he might need it) I'm just wondering if there is anything less invasive that I could try. It bothers him and me, i'm always wiping his eye.

Thankyou Cameron, finally someone who knows what I'm talking about. You have no idea how much I appreciate this****hugs****

Answer 1

My son had plugged tear ducts too. My wife and I were told to massage from the corner of his eye down the side of his nose as often as possible (your doctor can show you how; make sure you have clean hands or he could get an infection). We massaged for months. One eye cleared up relatively quickly, but the other still hadn't cleared up after 13 months. We were given antibiotic eye drops as a last resort before having the procedure. Eventually he had the surgery (it was very quick and he had general anesthesia), however the opthalmologist performing the surgery was unable to find a blockage in, for lack of a better term, his "turf" (when inserting a needle through the tear duct). Instead, a ear, nose and throat doctor would have to do a similar procedure by entering with a needle through the nose (I guess the tear ducts drain into the nose). Fortunately, perhaps by coincidence, my son's eye stopped leaking almost immediately after the surgery, even though the doctors said that no blockage had been removed.

I would not be afraid to have the procedure if it is recommended by your doctor. It is very common and your son will be under anesthesia so he will not be moving around and he won't feel it (at least that's how they did it here in the Netherlands). We weren't even allowed in the room so we didn't have to see it happen.

It's either that or just keep wiping the eye and hope that it opens up naturally. Trust me, after you don't have to wipe his eye 10 times a day and listen to people asking about your son's eye, it will be worth it.

Answer 2

Alright, my mom had a clogged tearduct in both eyes and the surgery really worked. There really is nothing risky to it! Actually, at first they put these stints in it. Ask your doctor about putting stints in it for a while. Of course, my mom's had gotten bad so she needed the surgery. Take immediate action, or the surgery may not work.

Answer 3

If his tear duct isn't patent, you risk his eyesight by not taking care of it promptly. Tears are important to our eyes; if they are allowed to accumulate, however, the solids in them provide a breeding ground for bacteria, and you risk eye infection, which in turn could endanger his eyesight. I believe the sooner you take him to the doctor, the better.