
What Causes a Tear in the Eye? Causes of a Retinal Tear
A retinal tear usually forms when the vitreous gel pulls on the retina as it separates with age. Learn the risk factors, warning signs and treatment.

Tears help to protect and keep the eyes healthy by keeping them moist. Some babies and children may have congenital or acquired blockage of the tear ducts. It is a common condition especially in newborns and usually heals within the first 12 months without any treatment.
Tears secreted by the lacrimal glands spread over the eye every time we blink and the excess fluid drains into the nose through the tear ducts. Partial or complete blockage of the tear duct prevents the normal discharge of tears into the nose. Tear ducts may be congenitally narrow or closed, or they may be blocked later.
Blockage of the tear duct in children and infants can manifest itself with many symptoms. The most common of these can be listed as follows;
Treatment of tear duct obstruction in children and infants varies depending on the severity of the disease and the underlying cause. Treatment options may include:
If massage, drops and probing applications are not effective or do not completely eliminate the obstruction, silicone tube intubation or balloon dacryoplasty is tried first; if these also fail, surgery (dacryocystorhinostomy) is performed, usually once the child is older.
The price of tear duct obstruction treatment in children and infants varies depending on the underlying cause and the operation to be performed. The treatment plan to be created by our specialist ophthalmologist depending on the detailed examination results may vary from person to person.
Most blockages open on their own within the first year, and during that time the massage your doctor describes is applied. The massage is done with a fingertip at the inner corner beside the bridge of the nose, over the tear sac, pressing gently downwards.
Your doctor will show you how often and for how long. Wash your hands first, keep nails short, and do not press on the baby's eye; the pressure is applied to the sac.
If the duct does not open on its own and the symptoms continue, probing comes up. It is usually planned around the first year of age, according to your doctor's assessment. In the early months it is common to wait, because the chance of the duct opening by itself is high.
If, alongside constant watering, there are repeated infections, redness at the lid margin or swelling over the tear sac, the assessment may be brought forward.
The procedure is short and in children it is usually done under brief anaesthesia. Slightly blood-stained watering may be seen for a few days afterwards, and this is expected.
The drops your doctor prescribes are used for as long as directed, and the follow-up appointment is kept. If the symptoms return, a second assessment may be needed.
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A retinal tear usually forms when the vitreous gel pulls on the retina as it separates with age. Learn the risk factors, warning signs and treatment.

A retinal tear is a break in the retinal layer of the eye that can lead to the retina separating from the place it is attached to. It is a very…
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