You may want to have a say in this decision, or you may simply want to follow your doctor's recommendation. Either way, this information will help you understand what your choices are so that you can talk to your doctor about them.
1Get the |
2Compare |
3Your |
4Your |
5Quiz |
6Your Summary |
The probing procedure to open a blocked tear duct is usually done in a baby who is at least 6 months of age. If a baby has a problem from the blockage, such as infection, probing may be done before 6 months of age. Probing involves passing a probe through the blocked tear duct to open it. Probing is used to clear simple blockages. These can happen when the thin tissue that covers the opening at the end of the tear duct does not open at or near birth.
Probing is usually done in a clinic or hospital. Your baby may need to have general anesthesia. Most babies go home the same day.
It may take several days for a baby to heal after probing has been done.
Sometimes probing needs to be done again. So 6 weeks after surgery, your doctor will check the tear duct to see if it is still blocked. If it is, massage and antibiotics may be used for 4 to 6 more weeks. If your baby still has too much tearing, the probing procedure may be done again. When there is too much tearing, the eye may appear moist or wet with or without drops flowing down the face.
Symptoms may come back for a short time after probing is done if your child gets a sinus infection or a cold.
Probing opens the duct in about 80 out of 100 babies who have blocked ducts.footnote 1 This means that it doesn't open the duct in 20 out of 100 babies. But most blocked tear ducts go away on their own by a baby's first birthday. If a child's tear duct has not opened by the time he or she is 12 to 13 months old, probing is usually done.
Most of the time, probing works well to clear simple blockages. When blockages are more complicated, probing works about half the time. After age 5 or 6 years, probing does not work well in children.footnote 2
Probing may be done again if it doesn't work the first time. Most children under the age of 4 who have a simple tear duct blockage can be helped by one probing.
A probing procedure has the same risks as surgery, such as infection, bleeding, and risks of anesthesia.
With probing, there is a rare risk of scarring of the drainage system between the eye and the nose. This can cause a blockage of its own. If this happens, the duct may be hard to open if probing is done again.
The risks of delaying or not having a probing procedure to open a blocked tear duct are low in young babies.
Even with a blocked tear duct, your child can still see. Delaying or not having probing is very unlikely to hurt your child's vision.
Your doctor may recommend probing if:
Compare
|
What is usually involved? |
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
What are the benefits? |
|
|
|
What are the risks and side effects? |
|
|
These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. They may be helpful as you make important health decisions.
Sevi was born with blocked tear ducts, and both eyes were mucky from the beginning. It really stressed me out worrying that his eyes were infected. The doctor sometimes prescribed antibiotic drops when Sevi's eyes were red. But I worried about using the drops too much. Every morning his eyes were glued shut with gunk. It bothered me that people were always commenting about his eyes. When the ophthalmologist said he could have a probing at 6 months, I was ready.
Marta, age 35
I have a 12-month-old son, Ismail, whose tear ducts just finally opened up. I was very resistant to probing. I just could not be adequately convinced that the procedure was needed. I know that the possible serious side effects of anesthesia are very rare. But I couldn't justify that risk for a condition that caused me some inconvenience but did not jeopardize my son's well-being.
Stanley, age 22
When my eldest daughter, Whitney, was 1 year old, we decided it was time to have the procedure to open her tear duct. We had waited patiently for it to open on its own, but it had not. She would not let me clean her eye, and it was becoming very hard to keep it clean. She began to rub her eye a lot, and it was red most of the time. We had the procedure, and her eye is fine now.
Beverly, age 26
My daughter Tamera was born with a blocked tear duct. It really bothered me, because she always had a teary eye. When she had a cold, she used to have mucus in her eye and her eye was matted in the morning. In some of her baby pictures, she has tears in her eye. I hated that my perfect little baby didn't look perfect, but I just could not stand the thought of putting something sharp near her eye, especially while she was awake. Eventually, when Tamera was 8 months old, the tear duct opened.
Myna, age 40
Your personal feelings are just as important as the medical facts. Think about what matters most to you in this decision, and show how you feel about the following statements.
Reasons to choose probing to open a blocked tear duct
Reasons to wait and see if the blocked tear duct opens on its own
I have a hard time keeping my baby's eye clean.
I don't have a hard time keeping my baby's eye clean.
I'm worried about scarring from repeat infections.
I'm not worried about scarring.
I want to take care of this problem now.
I don't want my baby to have a medical procedure for a problem that might get better on its own.
I'm not worried about the risks of probing.
I'm worried about the risks of probing.
I don't like the way blocked tear ducts make my baby look.
I don't mind the way blocked ducts make my baby look.
My other important reasons:
My other important reasons:
Now that you've thought about the facts and your feelings, you may have a general idea of where you stand on this decision. Show which way you are leaning right now.
Probing
Waiting
Check the facts
Decide what's next
Certainty
1. How sure do you feel right now about your decision?
Here's a record of your answers. You can use it to talk with your doctor or loved ones about your decision.
| Author | Healthwise Staff |
|---|---|
| Primary Medical Reviewer | John Pope MD - Pediatrics |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | E. Gregory Thompson MD - Internal Medicine |
The probing procedure to open a blocked tear duct is usually done in a baby who is at least 6 months of age. If a baby has a problem from the blockage, such as infection, probing may be done before 6 months of age. Probing involves passing a probe through the blocked tear duct to open it. Probing is used to clear simple blockages. These can happen when the thin tissue that covers the opening at the end of the tear duct does not open at or near birth.
Probing is usually done in a clinic or hospital. Your baby may need to have general anesthesia. Most babies go home the same day.
It may take several days for a baby to heal after probing has been done.
Sometimes probing needs to be done again. So 6 weeks after surgery, your doctor will check the tear duct to see if it is still blocked. If it is, massage and antibiotics may be used for 4 to 6 more weeks. If your baby still has too much tearing, the probing procedure may be done again. When there is too much tearing, the eye may appear moist or wet with or without drops flowing down the face.
Symptoms may come back for a short time after probing is done if your child gets a sinus infection or a cold.
Probing opens the duct in about 80 out of 100 babies who have blocked ducts.1 This means that it doesn't open the duct in 20 out of 100 babies. But most blocked tear ducts go away on their own by a baby's first birthday. If a child's tear duct has not opened by the time he or she is 12 to 13 months old, probing is usually done.
Most of the time, probing works well to clear simple blockages. When blockages are more complicated, probing works about half the time. After age 5 or 6 years, probing does not work well in children.2
Probing may be done again if it doesn't work the first time. Most children under the age of 4 who have a simple tear duct blockage can be helped by one probing.
A probing procedure has the same risks as surgery, such as infection, bleeding, and risks of anesthesia.
With probing, there is a rare risk of scarring of the drainage system between the eye and the nose. This can cause a blockage of its own. If this happens, the duct may be hard to open if probing is done again.
The risks of delaying or not having a probing procedure to open a blocked tear duct are low in young babies.
Even with a blocked tear duct, your child can still see. Delaying or not having probing is very unlikely to hurt your child's vision.
Your doctor may recommend probing if:
| Schedule probing for your baby | Wait to see if the duct opens on its own | |
|---|---|---|
| What is usually involved? |
|
|
| What are the benefits? |
|
|
| What are the risks and side effects? |
|
|
These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. They may be helpful as you make important health decisions.
"Sevi was born with blocked tear ducts, and both eyes were mucky from the beginning. It really stressed me out worrying that his eyes were infected. The doctor sometimes prescribed antibiotic drops when Sevi's eyes were red. But I worried about using the drops too much. Every morning his eyes were glued shut with gunk. It bothered me that people were always commenting about his eyes. When the ophthalmologist said he could have a probing at 6 months, I was ready."
— Marta, age 35
"I have a 12-month-old son, Ismail, whose tear ducts just finally opened up. I was very resistant to probing. I just could not be adequately convinced that the procedure was needed. I know that the possible serious side effects of anesthesia are very rare. But I couldn't justify that risk for a condition that caused me some inconvenience but did not jeopardize my son's well-being."
— Stanley, age 22
"When my eldest daughter, Whitney, was 1 year old, we decided it was time to have the procedure to open her tear duct. We had waited patiently for it to open on its own, but it had not. She would not let me clean her eye, and it was becoming very hard to keep it clean. She began to rub her eye a lot, and it was red most of the time. We had the procedure, and her eye is fine now."
— Beverly, age 26
"My daughter Tamera was born with a blocked tear duct. It really bothered me, because she always had a teary eye. When she had a cold, she used to have mucus in her eye and her eye was matted in the morning. In some of her baby pictures, she has tears in her eye. I hated that my perfect little baby didn't look perfect, but I just could not stand the thought of putting something sharp near her eye, especially while she was awake. Eventually, when Tamera was 8 months old, the tear duct opened."
— Myna, age 40
Your personal feelings are just as important as the medical facts. Think about what matters most to you in this decision, and show how you feel about the following statements.
Reasons to choose probing to open a blocked tear duct
Reasons to wait and see if the blocked tear duct opens on its own
I have a hard time keeping my baby's eye clean.
I don't have a hard time keeping my baby's eye clean.
I'm worried about scarring from repeat infections.
I'm not worried about scarring.
I want to take care of this problem now.
I don't want my baby to have a medical procedure for a problem that might get better on its own.
I'm not worried about the risks of probing.
I'm worried about the risks of probing.
I don't like the way blocked tear ducts make my baby look.
I don't mind the way blocked ducts make my baby look.
My other important reasons:
My other important reasons:
Now that you've thought about the facts and your feelings, you may have a general idea of where you stand on this decision. Show which way you are leaning right now.
Probing
Waiting
1. Will most blocked tear ducts open on their own?
2. Is probing a good choice if your baby is 1 year old and the tear duct is still blocked?
3. Are blocked tear ducts likely to hurt your baby's vision?
1. Do you understand the options available to you?
2. Are you clear about which benefits and side effects matter most to you?
3. Do you have enough support and advice from others to make a choice?
1. How sure do you feel right now about your decision?
2. Check what you need to do before you make this decision.
| By | Healthwise Staff |
|---|---|
| Primary Medical Reviewer | John Pope MD - Pediatrics |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | E. Gregory Thompson MD - Internal Medicine |
Current as of: February 10, 2021
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:John Pope MD - Pediatrics & Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine & E. Gregory Thompson MD - Internal Medicine
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.
To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise.org.
© 1995-2021 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.