Do you deal with your eyes tearing up on a regular basis? The problem may stem from you having a blocked tear duct, but a specialist can treat it with a procedure known as stenting. Here is why blocked tear ducts can cause your eyes to water up and how eye stenting can help.
How Can Blocked Tear Ducts Cause Watery Eyes?
To understand how eyes become watery, you must first understand how your tear system works. Your eyes are naturally created to remove a small amount of tears each time that you blink. Basically, there are small holes in each of your eyelids (both upper & lower) that are referred to as puncta. If any of the puncta are blocked or irritated, it can lead to your eyes overflowing with tears. Puncta can become irritated from rubbing your eyes too much or from an allergy.
Sometimes the cause of watery eyes is simply age. The puncta in your eyes can become narrower as you grow older. It is harder for tears to drain out with narrow puncta. If you don't like having to cope with watery eyes all the time, you can consult with a specialist to get the problem treated.
What Can a Specialist Do to Treat Watery Eyes?
The first thing the specialist will do is determine what is causing your eyes to water up. He or she will likely perform a fluorescein test, which is basically done to measure the speed that tears are draining out through the puncta. A special dye will be placed in each of your eyes so the specialist can monitor the drainage for a few minutes.
If the puncta are blocked, the specialist will place a stent (tiny tube) in the puncta that requires treatment. The tube will run from your puncta though your nose, while leaving a small loop visible in your eye. You may have to wear the stent for several months before the specialist removes it. The length of time for wearing the stent will depend on your specific condition.
If you experience any eye irritation after the stent is placed in your puncta, make sure that you seek medical attention in case an infection has developed. However, wearing the stent should not cause you too much discomfort. Make an appointment with a specialist like Country Hills Eye Center so you can get rid of your watery eyes.
Share23 March 2015
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