watery eyes at 17 months - can blocked tear ducts still open on their own?

[ElliesMomma]

would love to avoid the surgery. but wondering if this is still realistic at this point. 

is there harm in waiting it out some more?

Edited by ElliesMomma - 5/28/11 at 11:00pm

[JacobsMommy1]

DS had tear duct surgery at 1 y.o. and it was the easiest thing to go through.  (DS has many health complications).  Our doctor sad we had little to no chance of improvement with time.  DS was under anesthesia for tube placement and went home after 2 hours of observation and we never looked back.  The tubes were removed after a few months, in the office, with no anesthesia.  The tubes certainly did the trick.  If I were you, I would consider doing it.  I know that is a scary decision,  especially if you don't know anyone who has done it.   I actually made an account just to tell you this, because I remember being soo stressed about it!  (((HUGS))) 

[MCPM]

We waited.

My daughter is now five - we did not do the procedure and it opened on its own well after one, but before two. It's a pain to deal with the goopy eye but, like your son's it never get infected.

[sapphire_chan]

If there hasn't been an infection yet, is it completely blocked? When he's getting the watery eyes that indicate there's still some blockage, maybe try massaging the corner of his eye towards his nose to see if you can open things up a bit more?

[sapphire_chan]

(And my tear ducts are completely open and I get watery eyes most days. For me it's hay fever.)

[CookAMH]

My 2yo had a blocked duct up to 18mo. It finally cleared up when I stepped up massaging it more firmly and longer during diaper changes, because I was uneasy doing surgery with him having to go under GA, but that was the next step for us. After a week, it was suddenly clear and has been since then, when I had been removing crusties and wiping tears since birth. Thankfully there were never any infections, it was just an annoyance. But I honestly didn't feel like waiting until he was 3, 4, 5 for it to clear up like it has for some kids, so we would have considered surgery.

Now, my 5 week old has two blocked ducts so I need to be more faithful to massage early and often to help it clear up sooner. It's hard to remember to trim my pinky nail often enough so that I can get in the corner of her eye more.

So yes, it can clear up, but you need to be massaging it. I'd sing Itsy Bitsy Spider one time during each change, and I'd rub it firmly until the song was done. DS put up with it thankfully but didn't love it!

[sapphire_chan]

You could do the massaging while your LO is nursing to sleep too, that's when I do all my poking and prodding because dd's in a good mood then and doesn't really care as long as the milk keeps coming.

[MCPM]

, when I had been removing crusties and wiping tears since birth.

Isn't it nice to be done with that?