Natural Health with Megan Sheppard: How to clear a blocked tear duct

My son has had a blocked tear duct since he was a newborn. He is now 16 weeks old and it still doesn’t seem to be clearing up. Is there anything natural that we can use? The doctor has told me not to worry and that it will clear by itself, but I feel concerned because there has been no change so far.

I would like to begin by attempting to put your mind at ease since your doctor is quite correct in that blocked tear ducts do tend to resolve of their own accord. It may take anywhere up to 12 months before the duct is fully clear, however, so continue to watch out for any improvement.

Ducts can become blocked in babies when they are not yet fully developed, which is why this issue generally resolves itself over time as development occurs. In some cases, it is simply because the ducts are so small. You will have noticed that your little boy has a constantly watering eye, as the tears are not draining down through the duct into the nasal passages. Tears are constantly produced in order to bathe the eyes, not just for when we cry.