Blocked Tear Duct?

[kfcboston]

It appears the DS's right eye is producing some extra mucus this evening? No redness or apparent irritation - just some gook. Anyone have any experience with infant eye infections or blocked ducts? Thanks!

[egoldber]

Sarah had this off and on for the first couple months. What helped the most was holding a washcloth soaked in warm water on the area and then gently massaging the area. It would come and go periodically, but it eventually went away.

HTH,

[heidi_timms]

We just got back from the Ped on Monday and Kailey also has a blocked ducts in both eyes. The ped said that it could take 6 months to a year to unblock the duct and you have to massage the eye with the eyelid shut. Sometimes about an hour after we massage Kailey's eyes, so much gook comes out that her eye is glued shut. I wash it away with a washcloth and warm water. The ped said that this is normal and we should massage them every day. She said we should be able to unblock the ducts by massaging daily, but if they are still blocked at 1 year old, she recommends a surgery that probes them and unblocks them. I guess if you go later in life with blocked ducts, you have watery eyes all of the time.

~Heidi
Mom to Kailey Ashlin
4/27/03

[August Mom]

DS had blocked tear ducts in both eyes. Both eyes were matted shut at one point. The ped instructed us to periodically wipe the discharge from the eyes with a damp washcloth and massage each side of the very upper part of the nose (over the tear ducts) each time we changed DS's diaper. DS's tear ducts were unclogged in a matter of weeks with the massage. HTH

[jojo2324]

This is normal for young babies. Gannon had the same thing soon after he was born. I did the warm compress, followed by massage. I also dropped a bit of breastmilk in his eyes, and it seemed to help with the amount of gunk.

It eventually cleared on its own, probably about two months.

[Melanie]

I don't think this is something that your son would develop so long after birth. Ds' showed up immediately...and lasted for about 4 months or so.

[August Mom]

I think it just depends on the baby. DS didn't have a problem immediately after birth. His tear ducts showed signs of clogging at around 4 weeks.

[COElizabeth]

James is nearly 8 months, and about a month ago, he started having a bunch of gook in one eye. I had noticed that eye having tears in it more often but didn't think anything of it. When he got the gook, we were on vacation, and I called the ped, who prescribed eyedrops used for conjunctivitis. His eye was never red, so now I think it is a blocked duct, and I am so mad we had to subject him to those stinging drops 4 times a day for 5 days! He screamed!

But on to the blocked tear duct. At the doctor's the other day for something else, I mentioned what had happened, and the ped (different one this time) said it was probably a blocked duct and that he would outgrow it. He hasn't been having much gook at all lately, but that eye is still more teary than the other.

He didn't tell us to massage it or anything, but maybe I should. Is there a special technique I need to be shown, or should I just rub in circles around that area? Did you do it for watery eyes as well as "gook"?

Thanks!
Elizabeth
Mom to James
9-20-02

[brubeck]

When the eye is closed, press gently on the corner of the eye next to the nose (you will feel a small 'bump' there). Move your finger in a circular motion, both directions.

As you can tell, Amy had the same thing which is why I know something about this. It went away on its own, just like the ped said it would. But not before she got it infected, which is apparently something that happens to a lot of babies in this situation. I had to put some prescription cream in her eye once a day. I don't think it hurt her, but she HATED having it in. It would take both myself and my husband to put it in: one to hold her down and the other to peel back her eyelid and put it in. NOT something I would recommend, so try to keep it clean. The hot cloths help a lot with this.

[kfcboston]

Thanks, everyone! Just got back from the ped with the blocked duct diagnosis. However, he said to massage in strokes away from the duct down the side of the nose. Regardless, he said often they will outgrow it as the duct gets larger along with the rest of their body. Glad it's apparently not too serious.....

[parkersmama]

Parker had a blocked tear duct as an infant. Our ped (we've since switched) kept pushing me to have it cleaned out but that meant general anesthesia and I wasn't willing to do that. We did the massage thing and it cleared up magically when he was about 7 mos old. Another helpful tip...use a baby washcloth, warm water, and baby shampoo (the no-tears kind) to wash the eye at bathtime. The shampoo shouldn't burn and helps keep it clean and infection-free.