Treatment of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction before and after the age of 1 year.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The treatment of congenital nasolacrimal duct (NLD) obstruction continues to be a subject of controversy. Some authors advocate early probing and irrigation in an office setting, whereas others recommend that the procedure be performed under general anesthesia when the child is at least 1 year old. The focus of this study was to compare the results of probing and irrigation of congenital NLD obstruction among children younger than 1 year of age, those 1 to 2 years of age, and those older than 2 years.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: The author reviewed the records of 120 patients, ranging in age from 3 weeks to 30 years, with 153 cases of NLD obstruction. Eighty-five patients (110 cases of NLD obstruction) underwent probing and irrigation.

RESULTS: Complications of NLD obstruction occurred in 12 patients; 75% of these patients were younger than 1 year of age. In group 1 (patient age < 1 year) there were 37 probings with 1 failure (3%). Group 2 (patient age = 1-2 years) had 43 probings and 5 failures (12%). In group 3 (patient age > 2 years), 30 NLDs were probed with 2 failures (7%). However, these differences were not significant (P = .13 between groups 1 and 2; P = .42 between groups 1 and 3).

CONCLUSION: In this study, the postponement of probing and irrigation for congenital NLD obstruction beyond the age of 1 year did not result in an increased rate of failures or complications.