This is a condition in which tearing occurs in one or both eyes and is quite common in infants.
The main symptom of this condition is continuous tearing from the eyes. However, sometimes it is intermittent, or purulent secretions may be observed on the eyelashes and mucus inside the eye. Additionally, a red swelling may appear in the inner corners of the eyes, or, more rarely, the area may become infected, leading to inflammation.
Management and treatment of tearing are largely conservative during the first 12 months of life, as the infant’s nasolacrimal system can mature up to one year of age. For this reason, under the ophthalmologist’s guidance, parents should clean the area around the eyes with a compress for any purulent or mucous secretions, after first wetting it with warm water. Massaging the area is also very helpful (this can be done using a small finger, applying gentle pressure).
If symptoms do not resolve within the first year of life, the infant should undergo a surgical procedure, specifically probing of the duct, during which a small catheter is inserted into the lacrimal duct, followed by irrigation with saline.
In cases where this fails due to an anatomical anomaly, a dacryocystorhinostomy is performed at an older age, around 4–5 years. In this procedure, the ophthalmic surgeon makes a small incision in the nose to bypass the blocked nasolacrimal duct and connect the lacrimal sac to the interior of the nose.
Both procedures are performed under general anesthesia and do not require hospital admission or an overnight stay.