Tear gland obstruction in newborns and their cure

Tear obstruction in newborn babies is a common but not too serious condition. Most cases will go away over time and respond well to treatments. 

The American Academy of Ophthalmology  shared that up to 20% of young angels are born with a blocked tear gland in a newborn. Tears flow from the tear glands, located above the eyes and quite far from the nose. When congested, your baby can cry without tears.

Tears play an important role in vision, helping to maintain eye health by moisturizing and providing oxygen to the eyeballs. In addition, when crying, tears also protect the eyes because they contain natural antibiotics, thereby washing away irritants or harmful substances. The following article will bring information about occlusion of tear glands in babies that you should not ignore.

The cause of newborn babies is blocked in the tear glands

The most common cause of this phenomenon is that the baby's tear glands have not been fully developed. This can lead to the following problems:

The tear duct is too narrow

The valve at the end of the tear duct does not open properly

The eyelid openings that tears normally flow through are not properly developed.

Here are some of the less common causes, including:

Nasal poplyp disease

Cyst or tumor

Tear glands are damaged

The nasal bones block the pathway through which tears normally flow into the nose

The infection causes swelling in the face, putting too much pressure on the tear duct.

Diagnosis of tear gland obstruction in a newborn

Symptoms of tear duct development begin early and usually appear before 3 months of age . Therefore, the doctor will look for the following signs to diagnose:

The swelling near the corner of the eye

Translated from the corner of the eye flows out a lot

Or express discomfort after waking up

The area of ​​the nose is swollen, red, painful to the touch.

The doctor will carefully check the baby with things like eye pressure and corneal health to make sure that the baby does not suffer from other diseases such as infant glaucoma . In addition, your doctor will also look for redness, swelling, and eye irritation to rule out conjunctivitis .

Medical measures to treat obstructive tear glands in newborn babies

Most cases of tear gland obstruction go away on their own without treatment in the first year of life. Hence, doctors tend to recommend conservative treatment, while carefully monitoring the health of the newborn. This measure will improve the existing condition by 90%.

In some cases the tear gland is still blocked, the doctor may use a different treatment. The most common method is surgical exploration, in which a doctor inserts a medical instrument into the tear gland to remove an obstruction. For infants 6 months of age and younger, surgical exploration usually does not require anesthesia.

A slightly older child is more likely to have this procedure performed in the operating room in the form of general anesthesia. Surgery usually takes about 10 minutes and has an 80% success rate.

How to treat obstructive tear glands in babies at home

There are several things you can do to improve a newborn baby's occlusion by:

Warm compresses to treat occlusion of tear glands in infants

Every few hours, when the tear glands begin to build up, take a clean towel or soft cotton ball, soak it in water and gently clean the area around the baby's eyes. You can gently press on the tear glands and wipe out from the corners of your eyes. During this process, be careful to avoid touching your child's eyeballs.

The tear gland will be located between the lower eyelid and the nose, the tear gland in the lower eyelid. If clogged tear glands appear in both eyes, use another cotton ball or a clean towel to wipe the other eye.

Massage the tear glands to treat congestion

To help your newborn baby loosen the tear glands and clean the area, you can do a massage. Basically, you press lightly on the tear glands, along the upper part of the nose and along the lower eyelids.

However, you should still consult with your doctor to make this remedy the best way. You can massage the tear duct about 2 times a day, but it should be done gently to not hurt your baby.

Eye drops

If the obstruction of the tear gland in a newborn is caused by an infection, an antibiotic or ointment may be prescribed to clean the colony. Most cases of tear gland obstruction will be completely resolved when the baby is 12 years old or older, with home remedies. For a baby older than 1 year and still having a blocked tear duct, the doctor may recommend other procedures to help unclog the customary gland.

Signs of occlusion of tear glands in a newborn

According to ophthalmologists, tear duct obstruction is the most common disorder of the tear duct system in a newborn. When a baby has this condition, he usually has the following signs:

Crying and crying but no tears

More discharge when pressed lightly on the inner corners of the lower eyelids

Show more discomfort during cold, windy days or when you have a cold

Tear glands have flare, affecting the eyes about 30% of the day

The discharge from the baby's eyes or eyes may runny or secrete mucus and pus, depending on where the block is located.

These signs may start to appear when your baby is 3 weeks old . Although the eyes can be watery, an obstruction of the tear glands in a newborn usually doesn't cause too much discomfort. If your baby has watery eyes or discharge, or is stinging for a long time, take him to the doctor.