Watering eye

Watering of the eyes can occur if excess tears are produced or tear drainage is affected.

	Constant irritation of the eye, either due to disease of the eye or due to foreign body in the eye. It can also result from lashes irritating the eye as in ectropion or due to drying of the eye from to any cause.
	Tears are not being drained properly as in naso-lacrimal duct obstruction.

Nasolacrimal duct obstruction

Infection of the tear drainage passages due to bacteria or fungi causes swelling, scarring and narrowing or blockade .

Management

Treatment with antibiotics tablets and ointments.

If the infection has been there for a long time, it leads to permanent scarring and blockade. This requires surgery called as DCR or dacryo cysto rhinostomy.

In this, the lacrimal sac is opened, and connected to the nasal mucosa, so the blocked naso-lacrimal duct is by-passed.

The surgery is done under local anaesthesia in an operation theatre and requires about 1/2- 1 hour.

Watering Eye

Nasolacrimal duct obstruction

Management