Tag Archives: tear duct

Dacryocystorhinostomy Tear Duct Surgery

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Well, I saw the Oculoplastic Surgeon at the Callahan Eye Center in Birmingham this week, and he scheduled me for dacryocystorhinostomy surgery (DCR) in August. He will do the external type of surgery, which means it will be Same Day Surgery. This method has a higher success rate than the endoscopic way. But it means he will make an incision between the tear duct and my nose and cut a hole in the nasal bone. I don’t wear makeup, so there will be a small scar. But I can handle that – maybe one of my wrinkles will hide it LOL.

It’s a relief to finally have at least this surgery scheduled. And I have an appointment next week with my ENT to schedule the balloon sinuplasty and deviated septum surgery. I hope I can get that done soon, so I have time to heal before the DCR surgery.

I’m looking forward to this long drawn out process being over and done with. I’ve been having constant sinus drainage for about a year and a half now. And the tear duct has been painful and swollen since last Summer.

Ophthalmologist Referring Me to Oculoplastic Surgeon

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Ophthalmologist Appointment

I saw my new Ophthalmologist for the first time yesterday. Of course I had to go through all that’s been happening to my sinuses and tear duct for all of last year. I told him about my general health issues and that I had had lachrymal implants a couple of times several years ago to treat dry eye. The implants fell out, but stayed put long enough to give the eye a chance to heal. Or so I thought.

This doctor pressed hard for what seemed like forever right on the spot in the corner of my eye where the swelling has been, and where it is very tender. It was all I could do to make myself lean into the head device, despite the pain.

He thinks I have one or more of the lachrymal implants logged in my tear duct. Once again my body is the exception to most rules. I never know when MITO is going to rear its ugly head and cause problems with my healing process.

I explained to him about my upcoming sinus and septum surgery. And I asked his opinion about what should be done first. Hubby is having a vein procedure done next week, so I don’t want to have any procedure done until after he is well.

He said there is no time push for this to be done. He made an appointment for me with the Oculoplastic Surgeon for a month from now. And he also re-filled the eye drop prescription my Optometrist had me on while he tried to clear up the infection in the duct. After all that hard pressing he did, I’m sure I’ll need the drops to calm down the tissue again.

Oculoplastic Surgeon

So what does this kind of eye doctor do? They operate on the lids, among other things. He will likely make a slit along the top edge of my bottom eyelid and attempt to remove the blockage. He may find implants or maybe just scar tissue. Whatever it is, it needs to come out.

Then he will put a stent in the tear duct to keep it open. My Ophthalmologist says this is a relatively simple procedure. He said that sometimes they do it right in the doctor’s office. I sure hope it’s as simple as he tried to make it sound. It makes me squeamish and apprehensive just thinking about it.

ENT

I’m calling my ENT today to try to determine when I will have the sinus and septum surgery. Looks like we’re going to have a very busy calendar for the next month or so!

More Sinus Surgery

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Sinus Surgery

I had the CT scan this week, and it looks like I’m having more sinus surgery. My old ENT did the endoscopic FESS surgery to open up the sinus cavities on both sides between the eye and nose, plus the big ones under the eyes. He did not do anything with the sinus cavities above the eyes. But I’ve continued to have thick mucous post nasal drip since the surgery. That’s keeping my throat irritated, and I sound hoarse all the time. I feel yucky.

My new ENT showed me the CT images, and the frontal sinuses above my eyes are packed solid. He wants to do Balloon Sinuplasty this time, rather than endoscopic surgery.

Allergies

They did the allergy testing this week, too. I was relieved to find out that I do not have any raging allergies. I’m NOT allergic to cats! That’s a relief, since we have three and both daughters have cats. He said to go back on OTC antihistamines.

My neck is still recuperating from having to lie very still on my stomach on a firm procedure table for about twenty minutes. I can’t turn my head sideways that well, thanks to my fused vertebrae. I could not get in a comfortable position, so I just had to tough it out with considerable pain. I’ve been on muscle relaxers since then, trying to calm down my jangled nerves and muscles.

Deviated Septum

The CT scan also showed very clearly just how bad my deviated septum has gotten. He suggests I get that fixed at the same time I have the Balloon Sinuplasty. It’s still same day surgery, but he does it all in the hospital, rather than an out patient clinic. I much prefer that.

My first thought was to not have the septum repaired. My thinking was that I’ve lived with it for 74 years, so I should just leave it alone. But when I did the research online I discovered that a deviate septum can get worse with age. It does make sense, too. Our nose and ears continue to grow as we get older (ever noticed old men with huge noses and ears?). And the facial muscles eventually droop, too. That combination can lead to the deviation getting worse over time. Also, year before last my leg buckled out from under me and I fell flat on my face. I thought at the time I was very lucky that I did not break anything – now not so sure that I didn’t squish my nose then and make the deviation worse.

Blocked Tear Duct

My new ENT does not deal with the tear ducts, so I’ll have to find an Opthalmologist to get my blocked tear duct opened up. I’ve decided to get that done first and then have the Sinuplasty and Septoplasty.

I can’t say I’m looking forward to all this poking, prodding, and cutting. But I’ve been dealing with yucky mess in the back of my throat, hoarsness, facial pain, and a dripping eye for close to two years now. It’s time it was all fixed.

Tear Duct Is Better?

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Tear Duct

I wouldn’t say it’s completely open, but my tear duct appeared to be better this morning. I went to my eye doctor for the last time with this issue on Friday, I thought. The infection appeared to have finally calmed down. I definitely didn’t have the big painful knot in the corner of my eye then.

But I DO have a small knot there that has puffed up during the day today, so will be calling the eye doctor in the morning to see if I should go back on the antibiotic eye drops.

He used a syringe (no needle of course) of fluorescent liquid in the tear duct openings, top and bottom, and tried to find signs of the bright yellow color in my nostril. No such luck. Then he pushed a whole syringe of saline through. I could feel the pressure, although he had numbed my eye. Still no fluorescent signs in the nostril.

BUT, when I pressed on my eye to wipe off all the liquid around my eye – it squirted out my nostril! He thinks the pressure of pushing the saline opened the duct up at least part way.

Since it’s puffing back up some today, I’m wiping tears more than I was, too, draddit. Hopefully this is swelling from the poking he had to do Friday, and not more infection.

Antibiotics

I’ve now been off oral antibiotics for two weeks and antibiotic eye drops for three days. My digestive system appreciates that, for sure. Of course I’m still taking the probiotics. I am very thankful that all these antibiotics have not caused any tummy issue. I used Zofrin and the probiotics to protect my system. The Zofrin was causing constipation, so I went back on my MiraLax to combat that. So at least my gastric system is happy.

ENT

I’m ready to make an appointment with my new ENT. The eye doc has done all he can for this mess. I’m still having thick mucous discharge down the back of my throat. I’m clearing my throat constantly, just as I was all last year. And that’s keeping my throat irritated and my voice hoarse.

MITO

One thing’s for sure, when you have a mitochondrial disease, you never know how your body is going to react to any situation. I’m just thankful for doctors who understand that I’m not a typical patient!

 

Blocked Tear Duct

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Blocked Tear Duct HURTS

I now know that the painful swollen area in the corner of my right eye is a blocked tear duct.

It was so terribly painful 10 days ago that I went to my GP doctor. He thought it might be cellulitis. So he put me on a strong antibiotic and an anti-nausea med so I can tolerate the antibiotic. And he told me to go to my eye doctor if it didn’t clear up in a couple of days.

I also already had a scheduled appointment with my new ENT last week. And he, too, said it appeared to be a blocked tear duct and wanted me to see my eye doc.

Eye Doctor

So my eye doctor used a tiny tool to probe the tear duct and then a larger tool to try to widen the tube. He numbed me first, of course. After using three different size probes, he used a syringe without a needle on it to inject fluorescent dye fluid in the bottom tear duct opening. It should have come out my nose, but it came out of the top tear duct under my eyelid instead. So it’s blocked big time!

He added double ophthalmic antibiotic eye drops to my medicines four times a day. I saw him again yesterday, and it’s still blocked, but not as inflamed. He told me to continue with the nasal wash and hot compresses I had already been doing several times a day. He did not refill the Doxycycline antibiotic, but wants me to rest my digestive system for a week. I see him again next Thursday.

So the saga of my sinus/eye problems continue. Thank Goodness I’m not in such pain anymore, but I look forward to the day I don’t have the nasal discharge, and I don’t feel and sound like I’m stopped up with a cold.