How is punctal stenosis treated?
In general, a few methods are currently used in the management of punctal stenosis. The most simple method involves use of perforated punctal plugs, which is a reversible procedure. Minor surgical techniques require incision of the puncta and punctoplasty.
What is bilateral Punctoplasty?
Punctoplasty is a surgical procedure to restore the proper drainage of tears. This happens when the lacrimal punctum (the opening of the tear duct where the excess tears drain) becomes blocked or narrowed in one or both eyes.
What is the purpose of punctal occlusion?
The goal of punctal occlusion is to slow the drainage of the tears to keep the tears on the eye longer for added lubrication. Punctal plugs are very small biocompatible devices that are inserted into the lacrimal punctum. Punctal plugs are very small usually ranging from 0.3 mm to 0.7 mm in diameter.
What causes eye stenosis?
As you age, the tiny openings that drain tears (puncta) may get narrower, causing blockage. Infection or inflammation. Chronic infection or inflammation of your eyes, tear drainage system or nose can cause your tear ducts to become blocked. Injury or trauma.
What is stenosis in the eye?
Disease. Punctal stenosis is narrowing or occlusion of the external opening of the lacrimal canaliculus, the punctum. 1. It can be diagnosed when the punctum is less than 0.3 mm in diameter.
What is a Punctoplasty technique?
A punctoplasty, more commonly known as watery eye surgery, is an ophthalmic surgical procedure performed to correct punctal stenosis (a condition that causes tears to overflow from the eyes) by widening the punctal opening to allow the tears to drain with ease.
What is a 3-snip Punctoplasty?
The rectangular 3-snip procedure consists of 2 vertical incisions through the posterior wall of the punctum and vertical canaliculus (one medial and one lateral) followed by a horizontal incision connecting the ends of the vertical incisions, resulting in a rectangular excision of tissue.
Can you rub eyes with punctal plugs?
Usually everything is finished in less than 10 minutes. The first day you may experience mild discomfort around the inner corner of your eyes, but symptoms should be no worse than that. Marked pain or discharge should not occur. Just make sure not to rub your eyes too much because the plugs can come dislodged!
Who inserts punctal plugs?
Occasionally, eye doctors may use punctal plugs for other eye diseases or after eye surgery. 3 Eye doctors insert punctal plugs fairly quickly and easily through punctal occlusion. Punctal plugs also can be removed if needed.
Is punctal occlusion safe?
Stress to patients that punctal occlusion is safe, quick, reversible and widely performed; however, it will not cure their disease. Inform patients why you are performing temporary (diagnostic) vs. permanent occlusion along with the risks, benefits and alternatives to the procedure.
How do I know if my tear ducts are blocked?
Redness of the white part of the eye. Recurrent eye infection or inflammation (pink eye) Painful swelling near the inside corner of the eye. Crusting of the eyelids.
What is the meaning of punctal stenosis?
Anatomically, acquired punctal stenosis is a condition in which the external opening. of the lacrimal canaliculus, located in the nasal part of the palpebral margin, is narrowed. or occluded. A complete congenital occlusion of the external punctum is referred to as. punctal agenesis.
Is punctal stenosis a cause of epiphora?
This condition is a rare cause of symptomatic epiphora, but its incidence may be higher in patients with chronic blepharitis, in those treated with various topical medications, … Acquired punctal stenosis is a condition in which the external opening of the lacrimal canaliculus is narrowed or occluded.
What is punctal stenosis of the external lacrimal punctum?
Stenosis of the external lacrimal punctum may be accompanied by canalicular or common canalicular duct stenosis, either of which may make treatment more complicated.2The goal of this work is to review the medical literature and to highlight some of the controversial issues pertaining to punctal stenosis. Anatomy
What is the rate of incidence of punctal stenosis?
Acquired or congenital abnormalities in the size and morphology of the lacrimal punctum and canaliculus may contribute to excess tears. The incidence of punctal stenosis is still unknown, with reported rates ranging from 8% to 54.3%, depending on the setting, demographics, and possibly interobserver variability [1].