The tear ducts are a part of the tear system. This is basically divided into two units: the secretory system and the excretory system.
Secretory system: It is made up of the lacrimal glands, responsible for generating tears. They are found in the upper area of the eye, behind the eyelid.
Excretory system: It is in charge of collecting, channeling and evacuating tears. It is composed of the lacrimal points, which collect the tear, the canaliculi, which carry it to the sacs, which are responsible for pumping it into the tear ducts through which the tear is definitively expelled.
When a problem appears in the lacrimal system, it is very likely to be caused by an obstruction in one of these points. This makes the tear drainage not correct and can cause constant tearing and even more or less serious infections.
When an obstruction occurs, the most common and effective way to remove it is by probing. Normally the obstructions are due to an accumulation of waste that ends up plugging or reducing the drainage capacity of the excretory system. Thanks to the mechanical action of a metal catheter, the obstruction is released and the system works normally again. In other more complex cases, a surgical intervention called dacrystorhinostomy must be chosen. which basically consists of creating a new drainage canal for the system to return to its evacuation function.
