Dr. Ong Chin Tuan

According to Dr Ong, the signs and symptoms of a blocked tear duct include excessive tearing, redness of the white part of the eye, recurrent eye infection or inflammation, painful swelling near the inside corner of the eye, crusting (formation of a hard, outer layer) of the eyelids, and mucous or pus discharge from the lids and surface of the eye. An ophthalmologist will be able to diagnose a blocked tear duct, and the treatment options will depend on the level of the obstruction and the severity of the tear duct blockage. The treatment options are external dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) surgery, endoscopic DCR surgery, stenting or intubation, and dilation and flushing of the tear ducts. Treatment is usually successful more than 90% of the time.

王医生也指出，眼睑及鼻腔细菌感染或外伤伤及鼻泪管导致断裂，都是造成鼻泪管阻塞的原因。他说明，一旦鼻泪管阻塞，原本透过鼻泪管代谢的细菌将聚集起来，长久之下会导致细菌感染，影响外层皮肤之余，也引发泪囊症(dacryocystitis)。当鼻泪管阻塞时，病患不会觉得疼痛，因此病患被诊断时，往往已是病发后数个月的事。