Infancy
The second most common disease we see in clinics is nasolacrimal duct obstruction, which usually occurs with crusting in one eye and tears flowing outward. The nasolacrimal duct is a thin canal that carries tears from the tear duct to the nose. Causes such as congenital inadequate development of this canal or the presence of a membrane inside prevent tears from making their natural course from the eye to the nose, and the accumulated tears overflow outward and begin to flow from the eye. While only transparent tears flow like tears at first, accumulation in the canal infects this area after a while. This condition causes a more inflammatory discharge to occur in the baby’s tears and causes crusting to develop in the baby’s eyes over time.
In Adulthood
Lacrimal duct obstruction is a disorder that also occurs in adulthood, with watering, discharge and sometimes inflammation, swelling and pain in the sac (acute dacryocystitis). It develops due to obstruction of the nasolacrimal canal, which carries tears into the nose.
