thread: Tear ducts

  1. #1
    Registered User

    May 2010
    Land of Dreams
    1,201

    Tear ducts

    I was just after some tips on how to help unblock my DD's tear duct (left eye). From birth we were told it was conjunctivitis, only now I'm told its a blocked duct.

    How long would it usually take to correct itself? I've read that after 6-9 months, drs generally like to put bubs under a GA and pop the duct

    Ive tried massaging it like the MCHN showed me, but it's not helping at all.

    DD is 10 weeks old

  2. #2
    Registered User

    Dec 2007
    Hork-Bajir Valley
    5,722

    Spocks left (? I can't even remember now) duct was gunky and blocked until she was 7months. I would just do a gentle massage and clean it like 50times a day, everyone I asked said it will just magically clear and not to worry. I did notice when ever we went to visit my folks in canberra it would clear but would go horrible again the day after we got home, so maybe sonething in the air/altitude etc.. was affecting it (even tho it was only the one eye). then we went to canberra for xmas it cleared up, but when we got home it never came back!! magic! and yea she was 7months.
    they said they wouldn't look at doing anything about it (like unblocking and stenting etc) until 12months anyway.
    so I guess hang in there? =)

  3. #3
    Registered User

    Feb 2008
    on a journey called life, finding our way home
    629

    My ds had this and I can't for the life of me remember when it cleared, he had it in both, I despised it it was so frustrating,looked so bad I thnk maybe 7-8 months?. We just cleaned them all the time not nice for him either

  4. #4
    Registered User

    Nov 2008
    Perth
    3,686

    DD1 had it too and it cleared up around the 10-12 week mark for memory. DD2 was a different kettle of fish - hers was blocked until 11 months. It miraculously unblocked itself 48 hours before her eye surgery

    Hopefully your daughter's clears soon, it's very common and usually corrects itself earlier rather than later. DD's eye specialist said this is actually nothing really you can do, it's just coincidence when they unblock after regular rubbing, etc.

  5. #5
    Registered User

    May 2010
    Land of Dreams
    1,201

    Thank you ladies, I guess I'll just keep doing what I am now and hopefully it will correct itself, sooner rather then later

  6. #6
    Registered User

    May 2010
    Land of Dreams
    1,201

    I don't know why, but Friday night DD stayed with a friend, Saturday morning is was yuck, but by afternoon her eye was clear and has been since!

    Maybe she worked some magic?! Hoping the eye is fixed and we don't have any more gunky eye

  7. #7
    Registered User

    Jun 2010
    Tiny Town
    4,675

    I hope it's fixed for her!

    A friend of mine had this with her little boy. For the first 8 months his eye was constantly gunky, and it continued until 12 months. At that age they decided to have it cleared. Took ten minutes and it's never come back again

    If you're going to need a GA for it, as a parent I don't recommend it because it's horrible to see, but if it doesn't clear up it's quick and painless.