How to Prepare for Tear Duct Surgery

Blocked tear ducts are a common occurrence in infants. Although a tear duct clog usually clears by age one, some require surgical procedures to clear the passage. Learn how to prepare for tear duct surgery to know what to expect.

Instructions

• 1

  Know that tear duct surgery is usually a simple outpatient procedure. Performed by an eye specialist called an ophthalmologist, tear duct surgery is 85 percent to 95 percent successful.

• 2

  Fast for 12 hours before the scheduled surgery due to anesthesia precautions. Surgery to repair a tear duct blockage requires general anesthesia.

• 3

  Expect a simple tear duct blockage to be opened using a probe. A wire probe is passed through the tear duct to remove the blockage. The passage is then flushed with a sterile saline solution to ensure the clog is removed. The procedure takes approximately 10 minutes to perform and no residual pain should be experienced after the surgery.

• 4

  Ask about alternative surgical options if a tear duct probing doesn't fix the blockage. There are two types of surgeries performed when probing fails. In a silicone tube intubation, tubes are placed in the tear ducts for a period of 6 months to widen the ducts. After 6 months, the tubes are removed in another surgery. A balloon catheter dilation uses small balloons inserted into the tear duct. The balloons are inflated and deflated a series of times and then removed. Both of these procedures require approximately an hour of surgical time and both are usually successful.

• 5

  Use prescription antibiotic eye drops in the infected eye and follow all directions given to you by your ophthalmologist.