Dacryocystitis
Dacryocystitis is infection of the lacrimal sac.
The lacrimal sac is a small chamber into which tears drain. Usually, dacryocystitis results from a blockage of the nasolacrimal duct, which leads from the lacrimal sac into the nose. Dacryocystitis may occur suddenly (acute) or be longstanding (chronic). In acute infection, the area around the lacrimal sac is painful, red, and swollen. The eye becomes red and watery and oozes pus. Slight pressure applied to the lacrimal sac may push pus through the opening at the inner corner of the eye, near the nose. Fever is common.
Often the infection is mild, and most symptoms disappear. Sometimes, an infection causes fluid to be retained in the lacrimal sac; a large fluid-filled lacrimal sac is called a mucocele. An abscess may form and rupture through the skin, creating a passage for drainage.
An acute infection is treated with oral or intravenous antibiotics. Applying warm compresses to the area several times a day also helps. If an abscess develops, surgery is performed to open and drain it. For chronic infections, the blocked nasolacrimal duct may be opened with a probe or by surgery. In rare instances, surgical removal of the entire lacrimal sac may be necessary.
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