Introduction

The inborn nasolacrimal duct obstruction is common ocular disease in new-borns and infants. There are still doubts concerningthe timing of the operating procedure. Probing of the lacrimal ducts is the therapeutic method for this condition. Purpose: To evaluate the therapy outcome in congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction in authors’ own material

Material and methods

In retrospective study of 3950 medical records of children from our Outpatient’s Clinic, we distinguished 192 children with nasolacrimal duct obstruction. Then, we evaluated the outcome of implemented treatment in correlation with their age and timing of the nasolacrimal duct probing.

Results

All children with nasolacrimal duct obstruction had mucopurulent discharge in the lacrimal sac and lacrimation. After the conventional treatment, the disease resolved in 23% of our group, whereas, in the rest of the patients probing of the nasolacrimal duct was implemented. The probing was successful in all children, but it was necessary to repeat the procedure twice in 13 children and three times in 5 children. The success rate of single probing was as follows: 91% in the group of children 1 – 3 months old, 83% in both groups: 3 – 6 and 6 – 12 months old and 71% in the oldest group of children – above 1 year of age.

Conclusions

In majority of children the nasolacrimal duct obstruction did not resolve spontaneously. Early probing within first few months of child’s life increased the success rate of this procedure.