Hi Everyone,

A lot of you know that since I had laser eye surgery I've had a lot of problems with clogged tear ducts. It's usually my left eye and it's painful and annoying. I do the hot compresses, the massage on the duct, and usually it goes away within a few days.

Well I once again have a clogged duct but this time it's worse than anything that I've had. My whole left eye is swollen. I haven't seen my doctor because I know there's really nothing he can do, but I'm guessing that the clog has forced the tears to go into my sinus. Why? Because my sinuses are swollen beyond belief. Under my eye is extremely swollen, also alongside my nose. I look like I've been in a fight without the bruising.

I'm doing the hot compresses, and the massage, but it's not working. In fact, it's getting worse. I really don't want to go to the doctor if I can avoid it. Not because of cost, but because I know the next step would be the pin (needle, whatever it is) in the duct to release the clog. I'd really like to avoid a sharp object in my eye! :eek:

Does anyone have any suggestions that I can try at home? I'm desperate and in a lot of pain. My eye is almost swollen shut.

Any advice would be welcome.

Thanks. :)

Alty - Let me ask you a very, very tough question. Do you want to keep your eye or not? If you do you will go to the eye doctor ASAP and have whatever procedure done. Do you really want to mess around and possibly lose your eye altogether? I hope your answer is NO on this one.

Since you have used up all the home remedies available you definitely need professional attention to the swollen eye. You could run the risk of infection and MORE problems than you now have (can't imagine what more could happen but you never know with eyes).

Please seek professional help. I don't want to read how you ended up losing that eye due to sheer Canadian stubbornness. OK?

Thanks Twink.

It's only been a few days, and there's no sign of infection (yellow gook coming out of the eye). I obviously can't go tonight, my doctors office is closed. If it's still swollen tomorrow I'll go tomorrow, I promise.

I may need someone to hold my hand on this one. If my doctor brings out a needle and comes towards my eye, I'm not going to be happy.

The very fact that your eye area is swollen means that there is something there making the tissue swell up. Just because you don't see any yellow stuff coming out of the eye area does not mean that it's not lurking there somewhere under the skin. My son recently got hit by a small rock in the face while mowing the yard 2 weeks ago. After one day his entire cheek swelled up and the little rock finally came out. Then his face swelled up again and he got out some pus and more pus after that. Finally after a day all the pus got out his face went down and the area started to heal. He says that his face is still tender in certain areas and still healing up.

So what happened at the doctor's??

Their office just opened 12 minutes ago. I'm about to call. I'm hoping I can get in.

I'll let you know how it goes. :)

Okay, I go in at 1:15, so 4 hours from now.

I talked to Sneezy yesterday (your remember Sneezy, our little med student) and he said to get some hot water with lots of salt and wash out the eye. I'm going to try that. Maybe I'll get lucky and it will unclog before I go to the doctor. ;)

Okay, I just got back from the doctor. He gave me eye drops. He also told me to do cold compresses, not hot. Interesting. I was always told to do hot.

Well, I hope the drops work, they sure cost enough. :(

I was diagnosed with the starting of a cataract in my left eye. I got some Can-C eye drops that are not only for cataract victims but have other eye uses as well and have noticed that my usually dry eyes are not dry now and my vision in the left eye is not as blurry or fuzzy as it was before I started them.

Glad you went... VERY GLAD YOU WENT is more like it!

Keep me posted...

Thanks Twink. I'll let you know how it goes.

I've already done two doses and it feels a bit better, so I'm hoping that it will be unclogged and fine by the end of the weekend. The doctor told me to use the drops for at least 3 additional days after the swelling goes down and the other symptoms disappear.

He did talk about possible surgery down the road because this is a chronic condition. Ever since I had my lasik eye surgery I've had many clogged tear ducts.