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Blocked tear duct

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Sjogren's Syndrome
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Posted 10/7/2015 9:52 PM (GMT 0)
I don't have Sjogren's but I do have dry eye syndrome so I thought I could ask my question here.

A few months ago, my eye would just "gush" tears for no reason so I seen the opthamalogist little over a week ago. He diagnosed me as having a partially blocked tear duct and put me on steroid eye drops as well as increase my artificial tear drops plus I had to massage my tear duct at least 3 times a day.

All was going good and my eye felt normal again. But as soon as I stopped the steroid eye drops, the tearing started back up again. So now I have another appt with the doc in a week. He told me to use the steroid eye drops again until I see him.

I was just wondering if you guys know what my next course of action would be in regards to the blocked tear duct? Do the docs normally just prescribe another eye med or do they go to surgery so soon?
Posted 10/8/2015 3:08 PM (GMT 0)
I don't have any personal experience with tear duct issues, but many of our posters have had tear duct plugs put in to increase eye moisture.

The surgery seemed to be uneventful in all cases, I don't recall anyone having trouble with it.

Dunno' if that helps any, sorry...
Posted 10/8/2015 4:48 PM (GMT 0)
Yep, that does help. I'm glad to hear that the plugs were uneventful. I've been reading about how the eye docs treat blocked tear ducts with surgical intervention and most of them seem pretty safe. I just have an issue with anyone playing with my eye - gives me the heebie jeebies lol
Posted 10/8/2015 10:45 PM (GMT 0)
I had surgical treatment for a blocked tear duct almost two years ago. It was a very simple procedure, they probe the duct to open it up. In my case, they put in a tiny plastic tube that stayed in for a week, to help keep the duct open until it healed. It's so nice not to have tears running down my cheek, pooling under my eye and giving me dermatitis around my lower lashes. I recommend the surgery highly if you are a candidate.
Posted 10/9/2015 12:42 PM (GMT 0)
Judy, did they put you under sedation for that?
Posted 10/10/2015 4:56 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, light anesthesia. It was outpatient surgery. My regular ophthalmologist referred me to a "Reconstructive and Cosmetic Ophthalmologist." I didn't know that super-specialty existed.
Posted 10/13/2015 2:18 AM (GMT 0)
Well it might look like I'm heading in that direction so I am glad to know they will put you under a bit. My eye is no longer partially blocked but rather 3/4 blocked possibly. It has been tearing like crazy non stop even after continuing the steroid eye drops, not "gushing" like before.
Posted 10/14/2015 2:30 PM (GMT 0)
Yep...heading to surgeon. I got my appt Monday.
Posted 10/14/2015 3:12 PM (GMT 0)
Good luck!
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