for infants and their treatment?
Having a baby changes the course of life in the entire home, and despite the joy it leaves in the same parents, it causes them to constantly feel worried about him at the same time, as infants may suffer from some health problems after their birth, including those related to the eye, such as the blockage of the tear duct. In this article, we review with you the symptoms of blocked tear duct for infants, which some of them suffer in the first weeks of their life after birth, with a mention of ways to treat it. Symptoms of lacrimal duct obstruction in infants The tear duct is located in the inner corner at the beginning of the eyelids, and drains tears produced by the lacrimal glands located in the upper eyelid, and flows across the surface of the eye to the lacrimal sac, to drain the tear duct to the nose and throat, which explains why tears sometimes come from the nose And our sense of the taste of eye s. Tears help purify the eyes of the infant from bacteria and protect them from infection, in addition to maintaining their moisture, so when the tear duct is blocked, it becomes difficult to drain tears in the right direction, and bacteria may collect in them, and a blockage occurs that appears in the form of some symptoms such as: the abundance of tears and their accumulation Especially when it''s cold or windy, and the baby can''t cry. The appearance of some yellow or green eye secretions, and it may cause the eyelids to stick together, and the reason for these secretions is often not a bacterial infection. The presence of yellow or green secretions with red eyes, may be evidence of a bacterial infection. Excess secretions when pressing on the eyelid from the inside, which contains the tear duct. Minor swelling and redness of the eyelid only, not redness of the eye.
Do not worry, dear mother, about the symptoms of a blocked tear duct for infants, as they usually disappear on their own within a year, or they need a simple treatment at home, and the child does not feel severe pain from them. As for the causes of this blockage, find out about them through the following paragraph.
Causes of a blocked tear duct in infants A blocked tear duct may occur in infants for several different reasons that can be observed, such as: The presence of a membrane covering the opening of the tear duct, and not making it open normally. An infection that causes great pressure on the tear duct due to the accumulation of bacteria. The absence of an opening for the channel in the upper or lower eyelids. Tear duct narrowing. There are some reasons that lead to blockage of the tear duct, but they are rare, such as: The presence of a bone blocking the opening of the tear duct at the nose. Tear duct injury. The presence of a tumor, cysts or adenoids. You can help relieve the symptoms of blocked tear ducts in infants in some ways, which we tell you about in the following lines.
The tear duct obstruction treatment for infants disappears with time, and does not require surgical or drug intervention, and it can be treated initially in simple ways such as: the method of eye massage to open the tear duct Massage helps to open the tear duct, and move the tears to drain them smoothly, so you can do the following Massage the upper and lower eyelids of your baby''s eyes, and the inner area next to the nose that contains the opening of the tear duct. Use a small piece of cotton, to help precisely reach the desired area. Don''t rub too hard, but make sure you do it gently, as your baby''s eyes are sensitive. Cleaning the eye The secretions should be removed and the eye should be cleaned with a cotton ball from the inside out, and not against this direction Because that will make it worse by collecting bacteria and secretions in the eye instead of expelling it. If both eyes are affected, the swab should be changed and a new one used for each eye.
Eye s are not the main treatment for symptoms of blocked tear ducts in infants, but they help treat bacteria if the eye is infected. If the blockage is not resolved with massage and antibiotic eye s, your doctor may resort to other methods of treatment. Lacrimal duct dissection If the symptoms do not disappear over time, and the blockage continues, a doctor must be resorted to, who may perform an operation to open the course of the tear duct by ing a medical device to remove the blockage. This simple process takes only ten minutes, and your baby may or may not be sedated depending on his age. Ages under six months are not used with anesthesia, and those older than that need anesthesia. Installing a tear duct stent If the lacrimal duct surgery is unsuccessful, the doctor may resort to installing a stent to open the duct and prevent it from blocking or closing again. There are other ways to treat a blocked tear duct for infants, such as: Inserting a balloon-shaped catheter to widen the tear duct. Use an endoscope to remove cysts and polyps, if present. Surgery to open the tear duct if it does not have an opening. Changing the structure of the nasal cavity.
