Blocked tear ducts

After months of dealing with "dry eye" and eye infections, which kept recurring, my opthamologist referred me to a "tear duct" specialist, even though my doctor felt it wasn't my tear ducts.  Anyway, this specialist checked me over and irrigated my tear ducts.  He said that they were almost closed completely.  He noticed an irritation on the upper lids and lower lids and said to pay attention when they start to water alot, especially 15 minutes before it happens.  Then he prescribed ointment for lids, oral antibiotic and antibiotic eye drops.  What I'd like to know, if this tear duct problem keeps occuring, what can be done to keep these tear ducts open?  This is the second time my ducts were irrigated.  What would cause them to close up?  

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Tear ducts can close due to not forming (present at birth), or from being narrow and blocking with debris (mucous) like a clogged pipe or due to injury or disease in the nose or infections in the tear sac.

Signs like you may end up needing an endoscopic surgery to drain the tear ducts into the nose (dacryocystorhinostomy).

JC MD

[Katie633]

A related discussion, Blocked Tear Ducts was started.