Blocked Tear Duct

Claire has a blocked tear duct. It actually started with both eye obviously at birth, but the left eye cleared up. The right won't though. I am constantly wiping her eye!! I was told by the pedi to massage the area between the nose and eye, but have heard it doesn't work. She will have to have surgery if it doesn't clear up by 9 months of age...I know that is 4 months away, but she is almost 5 months old and I swear it is getting more goopy!

April

 

One of my boys had clogged ducts in both eyes. We do the massage as well and just keep it clear. But the ped said it's likely that the area where the tears drain is probably just still small and it will resolve itself as he gets bigger. We were told not to worry unless it's still happening when he's 1, but most cases resolve themselves.

 

I was told by a medical resident to take a warm, slightly wet washcloth and gently wipe/massage the area for clogged ducts, but Sarah ended up with an eye infection anyway and our pedi prescribed a topical antibiotic.

 

April,

We did the eye massage and it seemed to work. Whenever I forgot, B's eye got goopy again, and then when I started doing the massage again (five times per day, rub down the side of the nose five times gently) it would clear up. I think all the goop was gone by about six months.

 

My boys both had it in both eyes at birth. Jake's eyes cleared up by 3 months but Ben's right eye didn't clear up until 3 weeks ago (7mo)! I was starting to think he was definitely going to need the surgery but thankfully it just cleared up one day. In the beginning we massaged a lot and used warm washcloths... but after months and months of goopy eye we just left it alone in the end.

 

Meara's left eye had a blocked duct since birth. We massage and put a warm compress on it.. its definitely better now, but not completely gone. We'll see what the pedi says at 12 months if she is still teary.

 

mine did - warm compresses, massage and antibiotics cleared it up asap - never to be seen again . . .

 

Mine have both had it off and on. I was told the same thing- to massage it- but was also given cipro eye drops to use. Not really sure why. Just when I think one is healed, it will be good for a day or two then back to goopy again! I hate to see some of you are still dealing with this 5 months down the road!

 

Jackson had this really bad- people were always asking what was wrong with his eye, despite detailed attention to hygiene (warm compresses, topical antibiotic, etc.). One day, just after 6 months, he woke up and it was all better! Good luck-- hope the same happens for you soon!!

 

My Evan had a clogged tear duct and the massaging work for him. Their Pedi told me to freguently start at the outer part of the eye and gently push to the tear duct it will drain some of the gook out. I don't remember how long it took for his to clear up but it was definately way before 9 months, you still have time and like ppl said it will probably clear up out of nowhere. GL!

 

Grace's left eye is also blocked. We're getting awfully close to the 1 year mark, so I'm afraid we may be one that doesn't clear up on its own.

Suzanne

 

Luke's got this too. I try to do the eye massage when I remember, but he's only 7 weeks old now so I'm not too worried about it.

 

Callie has one, some days it's bad, others not so bad. The Pedi told us that it can commonly last up to a year, and that there are mixed reviews on whether the massage actually works. She said not to worry about it, just clean frequently with a warm wash cloth, and it will go away w/in the first year. I've never heard of the surgery.

 

Hi - too tired to read pps but my DS, Jack, had a blocked tear duct that I thought would NEVER go away. I made an honest effort at massaging it but truly, between changing diapers and feeding and washing bottles, etc... massaging his eye never consistently made it to the top of the list. I remember going into the peds and admitting that I did not regularly do the massage and he was like "well, it isn't THAT hard" and I was immediatly aware of the fact that he DID NOT have twinfants ! Anyway, Jack is 7mos. now and it has magically disappeared. I don 't know how or when but one day it was there and the next - poof - gone.

Try not to worry too much. I found that everytime there was something to worry about (with my son) like a blocked tear duct or a rash or torticollis or plagio it was gone before I knew it and something else was rearing its ugly head.

Amy