Dry Eyes Tear Duct Plug
If you visit your eye doctor with complaints of dry eyes you will likely be informed about plugging your tear ducts or punctal occlusion.
Dry eyes tear duct plug. These plugs close the tiny opening punctum that you have in the inner corner of your upper and lower eyelids. Your doctor inserts the plug into your tear duct to block the natural drainage of tears from your eye down the duct and into your nose. The closure conserves both your own tears and artificial tears you may have added. Ongoing inflammation can scar or damage the tear ducts.
Sometimes punctal plugs can irritate the tear ducts. The plugs are inserted into the tear duct opening punctal in the corner of your eye. Punctal occlusion is a painless procedure in which the puncta small openings in the corners of the eyes through which tears drain the tear ducts are blocked. This is the area where tears usually drain through the back of your nose and throat.
A punctal plug is a small device that blocks tear duct drainage. This keeps tears eyedrops and medicine on your eyes for. Some types of eye infections can occur though. The plugs may cause redness and swelling inflammation in the tear duct.