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Tear ducts, also known as "nasolacrimal ducts," make it possible for tears to drain through the maxillary bone and into the back of the nose. Tear ducts are an important component of eye health, and are also prone to blockage: something that requires medical attention. Tear ducts are part of the nasolacrimal system , which is responsible for draining tears from the surface of the eye.
The process begins in the lacrimal glands, which are located in the outer upper corner eye socket on each side of the eye. When a person blinks, it spreads their tears over the surface of their eye. From there, the tears drain into puncta—which are tiny holes located in the corners of the upper and lower eyelids—and then through small drainage canals called canaliculi that lead into the lacrimal sac also known as the tear sac , which is attached to the side of the nose.
The lacrimal sac lies in the lacrimal fossa; the sac drains into the nose via the nasolacrimal duct. At that point, the tears will either evaporate or be reabsorbed. When we cry—either for emotional reasons or as a response to an irritant—we may find ourselves reaching for the tissues. Tears not only cascade down our faces, but our nose is likely to run, too. This happens because all tears drain through your nose. While our everyday tears keep our eyes moist and keep germs and debris out, the tears usually evaporate or are reabsorbed before we notice them.
But when we're crying because we're upset, or from chopping onions, this produces more tears. More tears mean that they start flowing out of our nose at a rate that's faster than they can be reabsorbed or evaporate, and so they emerge from our body in the form of a runny nose. As described above, the purpose of tear ducts is to transport tears from the eye, where they are produced, into the nose, where they exit the body or are swallowed.
Tear ducts are important because they allow for the natural tears your body produces every day to be able to drain. And it's not only the tears you produce when you cry for emotional reasons: these are your everyday maintenance tears that we don't typically notice or think about unless something goes wrong which we'll get into in detail later.
So why do we need tears in the first place? Overall, tears serve several functions—from keeping the eye clean and healthy to communicating your emotions—and most people produce 15 to 30 gallons of tears each year. For now, let's take a look at the three different types of tears our body produces and their functions:. When tear ducts are blocked, it throws off the entire nasolacrimal system and doesn't allow for our tears to effectively drain into the nose.
This can lead to symptoms like watery eyes or dacryocystitis, which is an infection of the tear sac. Here's what happens when tear ducts are blocked in infants and adults. Many babies are born with a blockage of their tear ducts , meaning that the tears they produce can't drain out through their nose. This happens when a baby's tear-duct system isn't fully developed.
Most frequently, in situations like these, there is usually a membranous covering at the exit of the nasolacrimal duct system. It is also possible for older children to get clogged tear ducts. They then inflate a tiny balloon several times to push away the blockage and open up the duct system.
This requires general anesthesia. Your doctor threads a thin tube through the puncta and throughout the tear drainage system to the nose.
The tube, or stent, remains in place and allows tears to drain normally. The procedure also requires general anesthesia. The surgical procedure is called dacryocystorhinostomy. It can be done through an incision on the side of the nose near the lacrimal sac or with special endoscopic tools through the nasal cavity, which leaves no visible scar. If surgery is necessary, ice packs should be placed on the affected area for about two days after the operation to help reduce swelling.
These precautions are meant to prevent hemorrhage. Sutures can usually be removed in a week or so, unless absorbable stitches were used during surgery. Normal activities should be possible after a week, though you should avoid activities that could lead to facial trauma, such as martial arts, soccer, or similar sports.
There should be little or no recovery period for other procedures, aside from basic precautions to keep your eyes and nose injury-free. With surgery, your outlook is good. Other less-invasive treatments may be just as effective. Your eye may hurt when you blink for a variety of causes, but eye pain treatments can help. Here's what you need to know. Want to know how to get rid of a stye?
Styes hordeolums are red bumps that form on the outside of the eyelid. They can be painful or itchy. How you treat a swollen eyelid depends on the cause. Learn what you can do for relief and how to prevent swollen eyelids. Droopy eyelids can affect more than your appearance.
Over time, they can start to limit your field of vision and impact your ability to see. Keratoconus is a disorder that leads to thinning of your cornea.
It primarily affects children and young adults. We explain causes, treatment, and…. Iritis, also known as anterior uveitis, involves the inflammation of the iris, the colored part of your eye. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Salmon JF. Lacrimal drainage system. Elsevier; Accessed Jan. Nasolacrimal duct obstruction. American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus.
Merck Manual Professional Version. Blocked tear ducts: Adult dacryocystorhinostomy DCR. Kliegman RM, et al. Disorders of the lacrimal system. In: Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. Mayo Clinic; Conjunctivitis pink eye : Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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