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Original poster

any experience of blocked tear ducts?

23 replies

tortoiseSHELL · 02/03/2007 09:21

Ds2 has just been referred to the Eye Hospital because both his tear ducts are blocked. Given that he is now 10 months, what are the chances of them resolving in 2 months, and what are the chances of him needing an op? I REALLY don't want him to have a GA, and things stuck in his eyes!!!

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Ceolas · 02/03/2007 09:23

I'm not sure, tortoiseshell. Has he been like this since birth? My DD1 had this when she was born, but it seemed to right itself within a few weeks.

Original poster

tortoiseSHELL · 02/03/2007 09:24

Yes, since birth. He always has watery eyes, and sometimes gunky.

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Ceolas · 02/03/2007 09:26

From what I understood at the time, it was a fairly straightforward procedure and a light anaesthetic. Hers was very swollen but like I said sorted itself out. Hope someone else comes along with a better experience for you and you get it sorted

Original poster

tortoiseSHELL · 02/03/2007 13:25

thanks ceolas. Glad they sorted out! Any more experiences?

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happystory · 02/03/2007 13:30

dd had these from birth resulting in various eye infections in her first few months. The specialist said they'd operate if it hadn't cleared by 12 months, and at about 10 months it did with no intervention

Original poster

tortoiseSHELL · 02/03/2007 13:34

That sounds promising happystory! He's 10 months now, so I'm hoping they resolve soon.

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Original poster

tortoiseSHELL · 02/03/2007 14:15

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ruty · 02/03/2007 14:37

well my ds now 2.5 had a watery eye until fairly recently. I think it stopped when he was about 19, 20 months. I did go to docs about it and she told me to massage the corner of his eye every day -[with clean finger]. I was quite worried for a bit, but it did go away on its own. He didn't really get infections it it tho. How about getting a second opinion? Have you tried the massage?

Original poster

tortoiseSHELL · 02/03/2007 14:40

He does seem to get infections in his eyes more often than most babies. I guess when we get his hospital appointment they'll give me more advice - just suddenly panicking about the prospect of an op really, he's so little! I asked the GP about massage, and she was a bit non-comittal, but I'll ask at the hospital as well. Thanks ruty.

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katierocket · 02/03/2007 14:41

DS1 had a blocked tear duct and we saw consultant - he said that they would leave it until he was 2 years before they do anything. He reckoned that the vast majority right themsleves. DS1's certainly did but he was probably about 18months.

ruty · 02/03/2007 14:53

i would try the massage tortoiseshell - can't do any harm. And hopefully the consultant will be less gung ho about an op - liek katierocket says they should wait until he is two i think.

Original poster

tortoiseSHELL · 02/03/2007 14:54

what alarmed me was that I looked it up on the internet, and various places said the success was much less after about 14 months or so, as the bones harden.

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ruty · 02/03/2007 15:03

oh yes i remember doing that too and getting all worked up. Lesson one. DON'T LOOK ON THE INTERNET!

Boredatwork · 02/03/2007 15:21

My daughter had a blocked duct which swelled up into a cyst while on holiday. She was a bit older (about 4 at the time) and the doctor there said she'd need an op.
When we got home, we made an appointment with our doc, who told us it would probably clear up by itself. It took a few months (around 6 I think) but it did go and she's had no problems since.

mm22bys · 02/03/2007 15:23

Did your babies with recurrent eye infections / blocked tear ducts still develop normally visually?

My DS2 had a streptococcus pneumoniae infection in his eye when he was only a tiny baby, and now is showing signs of delayed visual maturity. I had read that the strep pneu bug can cause blindess.

Anybody have any knowledge / experience on this? Oh his eye is still gunky, on and off, but the GP reckons as it is not red it is just a blocked tear duct and not worth treating with antibiotics.

Original poster

tortoiseSHELL · 02/03/2007 17:30

Ok ruty, won't look on the internet....

it's so hard not to get ridiculously over anxious isn't it, especially I think where eyes and face are concerned - it seems so delicate! Will try not to be too worried....

Don't know about recurrent infections/vision etc, sorry!

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Original poster

tortoiseSHELL · 03/03/2007 15:21

katierocket - why did your consultant say about leaving it till they're 2? I thought there really was a time limit on this.

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katierocket · 04/03/2007 08:13

He just said there was no need to do it until then and better to wait before giving a GA. He was very good consultant that we saw privately.

Miaou · 04/03/2007 08:38

Dd1 had a blocked tear duct from birth which didn't clear up on its own. She had it operated on when she was about 21 months. It wasn't causing eye infections but it was quite badly blocked and her eye was permanently gunked up. We tried massage and it didn't help unfortunately!

Dh took her in for her op because it coincided with my first day at work in a new job and I couldn't change my induction. Although I felt guilty about not being there she was absolutely fine with dh. They were brilliant at the hospital with her - put magic cream on her hands prior to setting up the drip etc, but when she wasn't happy about that they used a mask to put her gently to sleep, which she was quite happy with. When she came round she was right as rain and her eye didn't cause her any more problems.

Original poster

tortoiseSHELL · 04/03/2007 15:05

katierocket, that's encouraging, I had read that it all had to be done before they were 18months, which just feels SO little. Miaou - what was the op like? How long did it take, and was the GA ok?

Thanks!

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Miaou · 05/03/2007 13:55

Tortoiseshell, from memory I think the operation was about 20 mins or less. Dd suffered no probs with the GA; Dh said she was up and running about as normal very quickly afterwards. I saw her when I finished work and you honestly wouldn't have known she had been under a GA that day given her demeanour (back to normal).

Piffle · 05/03/2007 13:57

problem with leaving until after 18mths is that the nasla bones harden and the op becomes more invasive.
DD is 4 and we left hers as we hoped it would resolve,
Now she is facing a nasal drilling procedure if we decide to go with it

Original poster

tortoiseSHELL · 05/03/2007 15:30

Thanks for your replies.

Piffle, what are you going to do? Do you think you will go with an op or can you leave it?

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