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Conference moira::parenting

Title:Parenting
Notice:Previous PARENTING version at MOIRA::PARENTING_V3
Moderator:GEMEVN::FAIMANY
Created:Thu Apr 09 1992
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1292
Total number of notes:34837

138.0. "Clogged Tear Duct" by SCARGO::HENMUELLER (Vickie) Tue May 26 1992 15:09

    Hi,
    
    I have a 20 month old daughter who has had a problem with her right
    eye draining since she was born.  The doctor said that it was probably
    a clogged tear duck and that she would probably outgrow it by eighteen
    months.  Well, she's twenty months now and she still has problems with 
    it tearing so now he wants her to see an eye specialist and possibly
    have to be put to sleep and a probe put in the duck to unclog it.  
    
    Has anyone ever had this happen?  I want to wait a little longer and
    keep trying to massage it but he says that the older she gets the 
    harder it is to cure.  
    
    What scares me most is that 1) they will have to put her to sleep and
    2) they have to stick something in such a small space (what if they 
    slip?)  She has an appointment with the eye doctor next week so maybe
    I should just stay calm and see what he has to say.  Any replies
    would  be greatly appreciated.
    
    Vickie  
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138.1Please donot worry !BROKE::HASANITue May 26 1992 22:2724
    
    My daughter, now 26 months, had to go through the same probing
    experience when she was 14 months old. Like you, we were also
    very worried and nervous before the probing, but let me assure
    you that the procedure is very simple. The whole procedure took 
    about 45 mints. We had gone to the hospital in the early morning
    at around 7 a.m and were back home by 1 p.m. By evening, she was
    playing as if she never went thru' this tough times. She is doing
    fine now.
    
    I guess, the doctor is right in saying that the longer you wait, the
    chances of getting the duct open in first probing goes down. 
    
    I remember, our doctor explaining the problem by making the analogy of
    the house and gutter. He said the duct is to the eyes as the gutter is
    to a house. Now in order to fix the gutter, one does not have to enter
    the house meaning nothing to worry about the eyes.
    
    Please call me or send a mail, if you need to talk.
    
    Good luck,
    
    Santosh
           
138.2WMOIS::DIPASQUALE_SWed May 27 1992 11:249
    Hi,
    
    Just this morning  I was talking to a friend of mine about the same
    thing. His 5 month old son will be having this done next week. The
    Dr told him that it would take about 2 minutes per eye and he would
    be able to go home the same day. As with the last reply the Dr said
    the longer you wait the more difficult it gets to clear it.
    
    Sherry
138.3GOOEY::ROLLMANWed May 27 1992 13:327

My father had this done (at 70).  He was not knocked out, being an adult.  He
said his eyes were a little sensitive for a few hours, but it didn't hurt.  Took
only a few minutes per eye, and fixed the problem permanently.


138.4Had it done at 7 MonthsAWASH::SFLATLEYThu May 28 1992 14:3916
    My daughter had a blocked tear duct from birth.  At 7 months, we took
    her to a pediatric eye doctor, who examined her and agreed the duct
    needed to be probed.  The nurse administered some eye drops to numb
    Ashley's eye, and sent dad and I into the waiting room.  Five minutes
    later, we had our rather unhappy daughter back, eye probe completed.
    
    The doctor said it was an extreme case, and we were lucky to have taken
    care of it so soon, (thank goodness for an excellent pedi, who referred
    us).
    
    Anyway, the procedure was done in the office with just local anesthsia.
    
    
    Ashley's had no problems since and she's 15 months old now.
    
    Sharon
138.5A1VAX::DISMUKESay you saw it in NOTES...Thu May 28 1992 15:006
    My son had one at birth - but luckily it cleared up on it's own.  My
    pedi suggested we wait until 9 months before we did anything because
    the mild cases will clear themselves up.
    
    -sandy
    
138.6Tube inserted in eye after probing not workingVICKI::SUITTERMon Jun 01 1992 11:5314
    Tiffany had a blocked tear ducted and nothing was done when she was
    young they said she would outgrow it. At about 3 a specialist decided
    to probe it and it worked for a short while. We ended up changing
    insurance's so we had to go to another specialist. She suggested
    instead of probing again to insert a tube in it which would stay in
    for a year or more and hopefully stay open when removed. Well
    everything is fine now but in was a long process. This specialist had
    said that she should have been treated at a younger age. I'm just
    glad this worked out. It's nice not seeing her eye tear down her face,
    especially in the cold weather.
    
    If you have any questions please write or call me.
    
    P