Immature Tear duct

[Oscar's mum]

Has anyone else child had an immature tear duct? How long did it take to 'mature'? Did you do anything to help it correct itself?

[Seekrit]

Cobey had one, I was told to squirt breastmilk in the eye and massage it upwards (from the nose up) with every nappy change. It wasn't clearing up for me and my CHN sent me to the doctor he prescribed some drops which cleared it up in a few days :D

[Oscar's mum]

Massage upwards - I must be a bit slow but what do you mean by that?

I was using breastmilk in the hospital but the paed said to just use the Aquaclear and wipe the eye out but it's been 2 weeks now and no improvement at all with the Aquaclear. (Occasionally I have used breastmilk to wipe the eye out too, but not as much as using the other stuff).

[blueangel]

I found breastmilk worked wonders, but you have to really get it in their eye well. My CHN suggested expressing into a little container and using an eyedropper to drip it into DS eyes. Make sure bub blinks lots when you drop it in and you will see it make a film over their eye. I did this about 5 or 6 times a day and it cleared up within 3 days!!! :thumbsup:

[caramella]

My son had an immature tear duct and it took until he was 11 months old to clear up. I was told by many nurses and doctors that they start thinking about surgery if it hasn't cleared by the time they are 12 - 18 months old. So thank goodness DS2's cleared up in time!

It was awful, poor baby, and everyone used to say to me "Oh, your baby's got a sticky eye" and I felt like saying... "oh really? I hadn't noticed the goo pouring out of his eye for the last 10 months!" :rolleyes:

I also used breastmilk, and massage. Ask a doctor to show you how to massage it. You basically use your pinky finger and massage the duct gently in a circular motion. Sometimes that will cause a lot of goo to come pouring out.

In the end it just worked itself out, nothing I did really cured it. A friend's baby had it too and his cleared up within about 4 months.

Hope your baby's sorts itself out sooner than mine did! :fingerscrossed:

[Seekrit]

Sorry, I was told to massage using my pinky finger, starting from the bottom of the nose (on the side the duct is) and upwards towards the eye, it gets the goop moving.

[Oscar's mum]

I am still waiting for the duct to stop being all goopy it's horrible I don't know how you put up with it for so long Caramella;)

[caramella]

I know! It's awful isn't it? Brady's got so bad that the skin at the outer corner of his eye was always so wet and being wiped all the time that it got so red and sore. I found a teeny weeny bit of paw paw ointment in that area helped his skin.

But, if you're ever worried about it, just keep going back to your doctor for some reassurance. Hope it clears up soon!

[Ashleigh<3]

Same problem, pity so many gp's just say, 'typical immature tear duct". I asked for a referral to an eye specialist, who popped the huge infected membrane in the corner of her eye. He said it was the size of a grape, and salene and breastmilk wont fix an infected membrane, it's good for treating it but won't cure it iykwim? :) Her eye cleared up that afternoon, I was so pleased! In the end, the apptmnt's cost was initially, $120, but we recieved $90 back on medicare!:thumbsup:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/ashkems7/CIMG0267.jpg This is what her eye looked like for so long, but now, perfect!

[Oscar's mum]

Same problem, pity so many gp's just say, 'typical immature tear duct".

So what is the difference between an infected membrane and an immature tear duct?

[littledarling]

Sorry, I was told to massage using my pinky finger, starting from the bottom of the nose (on the side the duct is) and upwards towards the eye, it gets the goop moving.


Hi there:wave:
I'm an orthoptist (similar to an optometrist), and seekrit is exactly right :thumbsup: . Massaging the tearduct can help it open up. You do have to do it quite firmly though, and yes from the bottom of the nose and in upwards direction (especially towards the top near corner of the eye- pressing firmly on the bone and pushing upwards)
Good luck

[Ashleigh<3]

Well, I'm pretty sure the membrane sits behind the tearduct, the corner of the eye, and most of the time when we wipe the eye with salene, or when some doctor's make an attempt at popping the membrane it can fall back into the tear duct causing another infection to occur.

I just found the Specialist to be spot on, and he cured it.

[~Emmylou~]

Toby had this....it cleared up after a few months but seems to be back again now - I've noticed his eye watering again in the last few days and I thought it was gone.
I just squeeze booby juice on it as well.