How can you tell if your tear ducts are blocked?
Symptoms There are a few indications that you may be suffering from a blocked tear duct. If you have excessive tearing or there is a mucus or pus discharge from the eye, if the white part of your eye is red and swollen, or if your vision is blurred, a blocked tear duct may be the culprit.
What’s the best way to unblock a tear duct?
Wash your hands. Wet a soft washcloth with warm water. Gently wipe any pus or dried crust out of your eye. Place a warm compress on your eye. A warm compress can help decrease pain. It can also make it easier to unblock the tear duct. Use a small towel or gauze dipped in warm water.
What causes a blocked tear duct in the eye?
If your eye is watery and inflamed, you might have a blocked tear duct. Blocked tear ducts can occur as the result of an infection or something more serious, like a tumor.
Can a broken nose cause a blocked tear duct?
An injury or trauma to the eye can also lead to a blocked tear duct. The trauma could be as minor as getting some dirt or other foreign particles in your eye, or as serious as a blow to the head that injures the eye or eye socket. A broken nose can affect the tear ducts, too.
Symptoms There are a few indications that you may be suffering from a blocked tear duct. If you have excessive tearing or there is a mucus or pus discharge from the eye, if the white part of your eye is red and swollen, or if your vision is blurred, a blocked tear duct may be the culprit.
How do you unclog a blocked tear duct?
A simple eye massage can help to unclog a blocked tear duct. Start at the corner of the eye that’s closest to the nose and apply light pressure. Slide the finger down toward the corner of the nose and repeat this motion 10 times.
What to do if your tear duct doesn’t open?
When a blocked tear duct doesn’t open on its own, these techniques can help infants and adults: One of the easiest ways to fix a blockage in babies (or adults) is to massage the lacrimal sac — the area where tears drain from the eye into the tear duct.
An injury or trauma to the eye can also lead to a blocked tear duct. The trauma could be as minor as getting some dirt or other foreign particles in your eye, or as serious as a blow to the head that injures the eye or eye socket. A broken nose can affect the tear ducts, too.