Sometimes artificial tears, prescribed medication as well as other alternative methods are not enough to eliminate eye pain and discomfort caused by dry eye syndrome. In this case, your doctor may suggest tear duct’s occlusion.

Punctal plugs and punctal occlusion

Punctal occlusion

The lacrimal punctal occlusion consists of blocking the small holes called “punctum” which serve to drain tears. By blocking these small orifices, the tears drain less quickly in the nose. This procedure is quick, painless and totally reversible in case the doctor uses a silicone plug to perform the occlusion.

Tear deficient Dry Eye Relief

This type of intervention can quickly provide relief to patients who suffer from severe dry eye, especially tear deficient dry eye. In that case, the eye does not produce enough tears to ensure adequate comfort and lubrication.

Punctal plugs and occlusion technics

The occlusion of the punctum can be done either with a plug (which can be removed if necessary without problem) or by cauterization. The cauterization method is generally not reversible.

Punctal plugs and punctal occlusion

Punctal plugs

The plugs are small plugs of silicone that insert into the hole of the lachrymal duct in the inner corner of the eye. This technique consists of reducing the tear flow in the nose during blinking since the tear flow holes are clogged. When these plugs are inserted into the opening of the tear points to block tear drainage, silicone plugs provide long-term relief from dry eye symptoms allowing the eye to retain its own natural tears.

Temporary tear duct’s occlusion

To find out if this procedure may be helpful in relieving your dry eye symptoms, your doctor may suggest melting tear plugs that eventually disappear after a few days. During this period, if your symptoms improve, your doctor may proceed with the installation of permanent silicone punctal plugs. Temporary plugs are made of collagen and provide temporary relief from the symptoms of keratoconjunctivitis sicca. These melting tear plugs are used to assess the appropriateness of using a permanent plug.

The health care professional will decide at the time of the procedure whether it is sufficient to block only the tear ducts at the bottom or both, ie the upper and lower tear ducts.

Eye dryness (or dry eye syndrome) affects about 4 million people in France.

Of the 4 million French people suffering from dry eye, only a minority would present an “aqueous” dryness linked to a lack of tears. The vast majority would in fact be affected by pure or mixed “evaporative” dryness due to meibomian gland dysfunction. Punctal plugs are more often offered in the case of aqueous dry eyes.