How to Prepare for Tear Duct Surgery

Blocked tear ducts are a common occurrence in infants. Although a tear duct clog usually clears by age one, some require surgical procedures to clear the passage. Learn how to prepare for tear duct surgery to know what to expect.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Know that tear duct surgery is usually a simple outpatient procedure. Performed by an eye specialist called an ophthalmologist, tear duct surgery is 85 percent to 95 percent successful.

2. Fast for 12 hours before the scheduled surgery due to anesthesia precautions. Surgery to repair a tear duct blockage requires general anesthesia.

3. Expect a simple tear duct blockage to be opened using a probe. A wire probe is passed through the tear duct to remove the blockage. The passage is then flushed with a sterile saline solution to ensure the clog is removed. The procedure takes approximately 10 minutes to perform and no residual pain should be experienced after the surgery.

4. Ask about alternative surgical options if a tear duct probing doesn't fix the blockage. There are two types of surgeries performed when probing fails. In a silicone tube intubation, tubes are placed in the tear ducts for a period of 6 months to widen the ducts. After 6 months, the tubes are removed in another surgery. A balloon catheter dilation uses small balloons inserted into the tear duct. The balloons are inflated and deflated a series of times and then removed. Both of these procedures require approximately an hour of surgical time and both are usually successful.

5. Use prescription antibiotic eye drops in the infected eye and follow all directions given to you by your ophthalmologist.