Congenital Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction

Abstract

Congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO) is a relatively common problem, occurring in up to 20% of infants in the first year of life.1 Although most patients are affected in one eye, NLDO is frequently bilateral. Symptoms range from mild epiphora to frank mattering of the eyelids with a mucopurulent discharge. The site of the obstruction is most commonly at the distal end of the nasolacrimal duct (valve of Hasner). Other causes of epiphora/discharge should be ruled out (including primary congenital glaucoma, dacryocystitis, conjunctivitis, or corneal infections) prior to making the diagnosis of NLDO. Clinical findings of NLDO include increased tear lake as well as asymmetric or positive dye disappearance test. The dye disappearance test is performed by placing fluorescein dye in both eyes and waiting for 5 minutes. A positive test is either asymmetric clearing from the suspected involved eye, or failure to clear in cases of bilateral NLDO.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 19, 2020
Accession Number
AD1087374

Entities

People

  • Ryan Davis

Organizations

  • 59th Medical Wing

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Anesthesia
  • Catheters
  • Clinical Trials
  • Congenital Heart Defects
  • Conjunctival Diseases
  • Diseases And Disorders
  • Eye Diseases
  • Glaucoma
  • Health Services
  • Intervention
  • Nose
  • Signs And Symptoms
  • Surgery

Fields of Study

  • Medicine

Readers

  • Educational Psychology
  • Materials Science.
  • Vision Science/Vision Psychology/Cognitive Neuroscience.