If massage is advised, do it this way: The lacrimal sac is in the inner corner of the lower eyelid. The eyeball is kept moist and healthy by a thin . Repeat these steps 3 times each day - morning . Watch-and-wait or massage. All rights reserved. Using your index finger, apply medium pressure to the part of your baby's eye closest to the nose and massage downward, toward the nose. Then, they drain though the tear ducts. To correctly perform the massage, locate the exact area where the duct is blocked. "Thanks. Massage: Gently massage the tear duct, located at the inner corner of the eye near the nose, to help open it and improve drainage. About 1 in 20 babies is born with tear ducts that are too narrow or blocked completely. Blockage can be caused by a birth defect, a tumor, or an injury. What's Tear Duct Massage? Eye Tear Duct Massage - Nationwide Children's Hospital Tears drain into openings (puncta) on the inside corners of your upper and lower eyelids. If your baby's blocked tear duct isn't improving, his or . To tell if you have a blocked tear duct, look for thick, overflowing tears that crust over when they dry, as well as blurred vision, blood-tinged tears, or pus-like discharge in the eyelids. The doctor enlarges the punctal openings with a special dilation instrument and inserts a thin probe through the puncta and into the tear drainage system. Eye Anatomy: Parts of the Eye and How We See. The tear sac can become inflamed and swell, resulting in dacryocystitis. This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here. Press firmly and move your index finger in short downward strokes 3 to 5 times. Stents or intubation typically are placed in the new route while it heals, and then removed three or four months after surgery. Sometimes, blocked tear ducts can be treated by simply massaging the face around the lacrimal sacs, administering eye drops, or taking antibiotics. Smart Grocery Shopping When You Have Diabetes, Surprising Things You Didn't Know About Dogs and Cats, Smoking Pot Every Day Linked to Heart Risks, Artificial Sweetener Linked to Heart Risks, FDA Authorizes First At-Home Test for COVID and Flu, New Book: Take Control of Your Heart Disease Risk, MINOCA: The Heart Attack You Didnt See Coming, Health News and Information, Delivered to Your Inbox, Pinkeye (Conjunctivitis) -- Causes, Symptoms, & Treatments.