I am 67-year-old man and have a tearing issue that I think is caused by blocked tear ducts. Also my vision has dropped quite a bit recently from near 20-20 to 20-40, also, I think, due to the tears. Is there anything I can do myself to treat this?
Overflow tearing can be caused by blocked tear ducts. The tear ducts drain fluid from the eyelids and empty into the nose. They can be blocked due to an anatomic narrowing induced by inflammation, scarring or trauma, or be a functional obstruction by mucus or other debris. There is not an easy home remedy for a blocked tear duct. Your ophthalmologist may be able to temporarily relieve a functional obstruction by flushing the tear drain with saline. Most anatomic tear duct obstructions are treated surgically with a procedure called a dacryocystorhinostomy.
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