My 8 month old DD has a clogged tear duct. I have taken her to the doc and the eye doc and they have both said that it is clogged. I have done everything that they have told me to do: massaging it, warm compresses and keeping it clean; but nothing is working. Her eye is constantly weeping and gooping up and even becoming sealed shut when she wakes from a nap or bedtime. I am currently facing the probability that she will have to have the surgical procedure to open it up, but I would like to avoid that if I could. I guess my question for you moms with experience here is what other things can I try? If nothing is working what can I expect with the surgery? I am going to contact the eye doc in the morning and schedule an appointment with him to start the process, but am a little nervous. All my other 5 kids have had the same clogged ducts but the massaging and warm compresses have cleared it up. Any suggestions and advice will be appreciated.
We went to see the eye doctor this afternoon (7-16) and he recommended that we start the paperwork and such to have it opened up. He told us that we have been fighting to get it to open on its own for 8 months now and we just need to do it and do it as soon as possible. It will be a relief when I don't have to clean her eye every hr to keep the tears and lids free of dirt and bacteria. Thanks to all for your advice and calming a mother's nerves about the whole procedure.
Update as of 11-14-08.....My DD is now a year and in Sept had the surgery to open her duct. It went very well and we were in, out and home that same day. This is the one surgery where I noticed a HUGE difference after it was done. She didn't have any swelling or bruising and is doing wonderful. There have been no infections or anything so we are happy. I am happy that we decided to have the surgery, we tried everything that was suggested.....breastmilk, massaging, warm compresses, even consulted with the eye doc and had prescription meds to put in----nothing was working. After fighting with it from day one (we came home from the hospital with meds) I was done. Thank you moms for you advice and support.....we finally have closure and will just have to go back to check in 6 months with the surgeon. Thanks again for everything.
My daughter went through this. @ 1 year old we had it done. The eye exercises I had to do, pushing near the eye area was hard because she did not want me to touch her. It eas hard for me when she woke up. She is now 18 and doing great
My friends child had the same thing and they told them to wait till over a yr. It didn't clear up and they got it done. She was so happy they did. Its so much better now and he seems like a more happy child. Goodluck! :)
My son had the samething but my doctor told us to wait until over a year. It cleared up on its own and we did not need to do anything. Did they give you drops to use on her?
I have had two of my four kids with blocked tear ducts (aka dacryostenosis) and they both needed surgery to have a stent placed around their first birthday. Both were so severe and there was difficulty in placing the stent but today at 8 and 7 they are doing fine. I have to look at their baby pics to even recall which eye was affected. My point being that I would continue the massage as long as possible (up to their first birthday) but if it doesn't open there are some tear ducts that just won't open with massage alone. And the longer after their first birthday you wait the more scar tissue that forms making stent placement even more difficult. As far as her eyesight being in jeopardy, she'll be fine as long as you keep the area clean from infection until she can have the stent placed if required.
What to expect with surgery---It's a day procedure. At Children's Hospital in Denver they tried to get the younger patients done earlier in the morning. An assistant to the anesthetist came out and administered Tylenol. They also asked to give midazolam, a valium derivitive, as an anti-anxiety drug if your daughter would flip out being away from you. My kids were not anxious and I requested they did not have the drug---and both times when my kids were in recovery the nurses asked if they got the midazolam and when I said "No." they said it was good they didn't because it can make for a rough recovery. Anyway, after they get the Tylenol and midazolam if needed there is some waiting and then they go back for the gas anesthesia---I was able to go back with them and hold them while they breathed the gas until they went to sleep. Then you sit and wait in the waiting room until the doc came out and told us how things went and then we were taken to recovery shortly after that. I think they had to drink some juice and have a small snack before they would let them go but I think we got there at 730a and left somewhere around 2p. And as much concern that you may have about your daughter going under anesthesia I was really thankful after the surgery was over because it was so great to not have to see them deal with the continued discomfort of having the goopy eye.
The surgery is well worth it if it doesn't open before her first birthday. I have read other posts regarding this condition on Mamasource that talk about homeopathics but my concern has always been with this method that there may be more scar tissue the longer the surgery is postponed.
Here is a link to a website from my pediatrician about the tear ducts:
http://stapleton.pediatricweb.com/web145/pedwebarticle1.asp
Feel free to send me a message if there are any further questions you have.
Best wishes.
my dd had this she had a very badly blocked tearduct until she was 7mos old I took her to my chiropractor who did Cranial sacral massage therapy and they fixed it up in a couple of visits. She literally had snot coming out of her eye for 7mos. In about 2 days time it was gone. What happens is they gently massage the facial plate and it allows the tear duct to open and function properly. So no surgery and we were finished waiting! http://www.icapediatrics.com/
Hi J. - the surgery is actually very simple and the procedure itself literally only takes a few minutes. A tiny tiny tube is gently inserted into the tear duct to clear the blockage and then pulled out. That's really all it was.
Whatever concerns you have about the sedation procedure etc, just talk with your doc. Knowledge is power!
I was so scared about it beforehand and then I saw it being done and it was so simple.
Good luck to you!
Hi J.,
Cannot tell if you've had the procedure yet. I want to add my two cents:
We have 2 Opthamologists in our family, they BOTH do not like doing this procedure b/c the clogged duct is just so small and they have admitted to hoping they cleared the blockage rather than create a secondary hole.
In addition, 2 of my children had blocked tear ducts until the age of 1. The steps that I religiously followed are (1) you must clean the eye with a sterile clothe and use a few drops of baby shampoo, non-tearing type in the water. Clean the eye each morning and night this way. (2) During the day flush the eyes with sterile contact lens solution. Use the sensitive eyes type. Very, very important as the eyes become a breeding ground and this is why they are sealed shut after napping, etc. (3) massage the tear duct with your pinky when cleaning. (4) I kept Q-tips and contact lens drops with me all the time to wipe away the goop that develops.
This commonly clears up by age 1 as most people hear have noted. I can't comment on the needing glasses part as both my husband and I wear them. Our 9 yr. son does wear glasses now, but my almost 7 yr. old daughter who had the worst of the clogged eye duct does not wear glasses. Go figure.
It must seem like a lot to manage when you have 5 other children to tend to. Just include cleaning the eyes every time you diaper and feed and this will keep the eye goop at bay.
Best of luck! God bless!
Jennifer
I did the surgery myself, it is very much nothing. Of course with a child they may have to do sedation but more then likely not. It took literally 8 minutes I think. They numbed my eye and I was awake and felt nothing, then they placed a tiny (I MEAN TINY) tube in my tear duct. It was a huge relief for me. I am not sure all it entails with a child but ask for details. Don't be nervous, it is a very common procedure these days.
J.,
I just read your message and have not been able to read the responses so if I repeat something please forgive me but I would like to tell you our experience with the tear duct.
My son had the blocked tear duct. When he was just two days old we had to bring him to the dr. because everytime we would lay him down his face would swell up and sure enough they told us is was a blocked tear duct and the same as they told you, compresses, massage, etc.
Well we fought this for 8 mths. The baby screamed ALL the time and we really believe that it was probably causing headaches or something. Anyway we finally made the apptmt with the eye dr and he gave him an antibiotic to try first and his words were this antibiotic is "Like killing a fly with a shotgun". Meaning it was a very strong antibiotic and if that didn't clear it up then we would proceed with the operation. Two days later the tear duct was perfect!!!!
Did not have to have surgery ~~ so if you can get her an antibiotic like that then I would most certainly ask for it. Unfortunately I dont know the name of it as it has been 13 yrs ago but your dr should know something about it.
Good luck and let us know what happens!!
Our son was born with a clogged duct, and his pedi wouldn't even consider doing the surgical procedure until he was over a year old. He said something like 70% of these cases clear by themselves by 6 mos, and by one year, 90% have resolved themselves. At 9 months old his duct cleared itself, and we've had no problems since.
I'd recommend waiting a few more months before subjecting your child to the surgery. A new study just came out showing that kids who are subjected to general anesthesia within their first couple of years are much more likely to experience behavior and attention-deficit disorders later on. Chances are very good your daughters duct will open on its own before her first birthday.
My son had the same exact issue. His doc said it would probably clear up on its own by the time he turned 1 and if it didn't, they would do the surgery to open it up. We had the surgery all scheduled, then about 2 days before, it totally just cleared up on its own, just like the doc said it probably would (my son was right around a year old). I would ask your doc about this and maybe give it a few more months. Keep doing what you're doing with the massage, etc for now and it may just take care of itself. It's gross for you dealing with it, but it's still better than having your baby go through surgery if it's avoidable. Good luck!
I didn't have to read too far with this to see someone else with the same hunch as me....Ann C's response indicated a doctor that felt some eye problems that manifest later in kids were due to eyes that had constantly clogged tear ducts as infants. My 6 year old had a constant clogged tear duct in his right eye when he was an infant, and now has very poor vision just in that eye, and will have to get glasses. I don't think it's a coincidence.
If your 8 month old has the surgery, it might be a blessing for their vision later, maybe.
My daughter had the same thing eight months ago her doctor prescribe an ointment and it worked after the first use. I still have the prescription, I will read the name and let you know. It's clear in color and it's in a really small tube. You can not get it over the counter. Good luck!
J.
Hi. I know you already have received multiple responses and have seen the doctor. But, I wanted to let you know not to be worried about the procedure. The procedure is called a lacricath. My son had this done the first one at 11mth months and his second just at 2. It really is no biggie. Takes no time at all and no real need to be concerned. The biggest risk is the anesthesia, I wouldn't worry. Here is a website that explains what the condition is and what is done to fix it and explains the procedure. And also, this problem should not harm bother your childs eyesight. Hope this helps and maybe will ease a little stress. If you have any other questions feel free to ask. Here's the website.
http://www.lacricath.com/
OK SO I POSTED THIS AFTER I REALIZED THAT THIS IS AN OLD REQUEST..LOL GLAD ALL WENT WELL!
My son's pediatricians took the "wait and see" approach, putting off surgery until he was 2 1/2 years old. By the time he finally had the surgery, he was almost 3. If you get the surgery at 9 months to a year old, the success rate is over 95%. The longer you wait after that, the lower the success rate (like less than 30%). Because we unknowingly procrastinated, my son's surgery was not successful. They will repeat the surgery in a few months, but it's not looking good. The doc thinks he will have to put tubes in my son's duct. I'm so angry at my insurance and doctors over this. What should have been a very simple surgery is now going to be a major trauma for my son. Even though there is a good chance your daughter's eye will fix itself, still go through the process to schedule the surgery. Not doing anything can be worse in the long run.
My daughter had the same thing and it cleared when she was about 14 or 15 months old on it's own. From the specialist we saw, in the vast majority of cases, it typically will clear up on it's own if you have the patience. I wouldn't worry about it too much!
I'm not sure if this is the same thing or not, but when I was in college, my left tear duct clogged from scar tissue (is what I was told). My eye specialist (Mark Cipella in Kentucky but has a Cincinnati office too) opened the tear duct by putting in a stint. It was like I had fishing line strung through & you could see it if you looked closely, on the opening near my nose. So this thing was in for 6 or 8 months and after the time was up, he snipped it with a pair of scissors (no joke). Problem solved. Ask if this is a possible alternative to invasive surgery. My procedure required no cutting, stitches or down time. And I've never had a problem once. If you want me to look up his number, just let me know. I remember at the time (10 years ago) there weren't many doctors who did the stint b/c it works only 50% of the time.
My daughter had a similar situation, and we took her to an optomologist. The doctor prescribed a steroid drop, and I am not kidding - one drop and she never had it again! We were told about the possibility of surgery too, and were very glad we went to the eye doctor.
Ask all questions about possible eye drops before surgery - my only advice.
Good luck.
I would hold off on surgery until she's one. My nephew had a bad clogged duct and we were sure he would need surgery. Just before he turned one it cleared up. There's still hope!
have been thru this with my son when he was small, he will be 17 in Jan. he had only one side blocked. back then surgery was the only way. the first thing tried was a probe, what it looked like was a bb on a stirng. of course in micro size. when that didnt work they put a tube in his duct to keep it open. the tube was left in place for several months. all procedures were done in dr office. took 15 mins to put in, had to sedate due to his age, held him in my lap while they took out, took 2 mins. has had no problem since.
Girl, I am so glad that you are getting all the help you need out there. I too have had people who has this problem and sometimes it is just the medications they take that start this process to happen. My mom was well into her 40's when she notice that she was not producing tears even when she knew she was crying. My daughter and son both have problems with oily eye glands and are now in their teenage years not listenting to the eye doctor or me when I say to take care of this problem while they can. My son will ge large swollen bumps under his eye lids and even at the age of 19 I am having problems with him taking out his contacts (a fashion issue I am sure) and the older girl does at least let her eyes rest from contacts most nights. My youngest daughter being 15 is just riding it out and complaining. I say all of this to let you know that it will get better but only when they get older I guess and wiser. Your eye's are not anything to play with and I tell them this daily since we have many eye diseases in my family that have us legally blind if not completely blind at early ages. You just hang in there and do what you can while she is young. One day vanity will kick in and she will be thankful to you for all that you have done and she will take it from there. Stay strong girl we did not get a manual with these kids so we are all playing it as it comes to us. Know that you are not alone and I will continue to pray for your family.
Kisses
A. Martin Barnes
My co-worker's son had the surgical procedure done and it was great. She had tried the compresses, ointments, and every other remedy to try to stave off the surgery. After postponing a few times due to her son having a cold, he finally had the procedure and it was a quick, simple surgery. Her son is doing GREAT and he was up and running by the end of the day!! :) It was really a 1, 2, 3 ... and go outpatient procedure.
Don't sweat it. if you are in South Florida, I highly recommend Bascom Palmer eye institute.
God's blessings on your family!
ok, this may sound crazy, but i heard it from a friend and tried it myself...try putting breastmilk and their eye! I did it on my baby and it cleared up in 1 day after a month of trouble. i know it sounds crazy, but it worked for me and my friend!
I don't personally have any experience with this, but I have a friend who did and they had some sort of plugs placed in the tear ducts (just in the ducts on the inside of the eye near the nose) and that helped. Just a thought that maybe you could mention to the doctor.
Good luck!
Hi J.,
My daughter had the same problem when she was a baby. I got tired of wiping up the "goop" in her eyes all day long. It looked like your eyes do when you have pink eye with all of that stuff coming out. The surgery went well and it was nice to not have to unstick her eyelashes from her face--finally!
Good luck.
If you are breast feeding put 2 drops of breast milk in there eyes.It worked for my friends dd and it never came back.
I just wanted to mention that I think you're doing the right thing. My daughter had a clogged tear duct when she was a baby; it went away after a couple months (I had to put a salve on it) and we never had to resort to surgery. BUT, not only did my daughter end up with glasses at the age of 3 for farsightedness, she also got Strabismus in her right eye. Her doctor, a Pediatric Opthamologist, is starting to think that clogged tear ducts are a precursor for young children having further problems with their eyes, because he mentioned to me that he was having a number of children come in with eye problems needing glasses or corrective measures, and just about every one of them had had problems with clogged tear ducts as a baby.
Sending good wishes your way that the surgery is a success!
God speed.
Hey, J.!
I have a very good friend who has a son who had CHRONIC blocked tear ducts from about day one. She had literally tried everything on the market, consulted w/ eye dr's, her pediatrician...... They told her there was nothing else that she could do & scheduled surgery.
I urged to to try chiropractic since infants are SO prone to blockages that are easily cleared by adjustments.
I joke you not, the VERY first adjustment cleared them up!!!!!!!!!!!!
It took a few more to completely do it, but he is 16 mos now & has been clear for the last 7 mos or so!
I go to Dr. Robert Smith in Forks Township (and LOVE him! Both my kids, including my 15 mo old has gone several times! He is fabulous with babies & children. She takes her baby to the Dr. associated with Dr. Lisa Caso (in Easton). (If you go to Dr. Smith, please tell him that I referred you).
I truly, truly can not suggest that you try this enough! I mean, it's better than surgery if it works! And if it doesn't work, then you've only lost a few dollars & a few minutes of your time, right?
Good luck!!! I hope that everything works out for you two & that you can avoid surgery.
A. Patterson
Hi J.,
Just saw your update today and you've probably had loads of advice but just wanted to say my daughter had the same thing. We waited until she was 1 yr. to have the procedure done, but I was wishing we'd done it sooner. The goopy eye, trying to do eye drops - it was all really hard on her. Its such an easy surgery. My dd had it done at primary childrens w/ dr. dries and he is FANTASTIC!!!! The surgery took like 15 minutes - it was over before we knew it.
Good luck!
J.
J. my son had the same thing and his doctors just told me to message it all the time. I do that everytime I notice it is cloged and he hasn't had it for the last month or so. I didn't wat to do the surgery my gosh to little for that stuff. I hope this help if you want me to tell you how to do the message send me an email ____@____.com and can call you.
