Lacrimotomy: Understanding the Procedure and Its Purpose

The medical term lacrimotomy (lacrimo- from Latin lacryma "tear" + Greek -tomia- "a cutting") is the act of cutting the lacrimal duct, which carries tears from the eye to the nose. It can be performed to relieve the obstruction of the lacrimal duct, which can cause watery eyes and other symptoms. Lacrimotomy may be performed externally or endoscopically.