congenital dacryocele

dacryocele, congenital

A congenital condition in which the infant is born with a swollen lacrimal sac filled with mucoid material. Physical examination reveals a bluish mass located in the nasal canthal region, probably due to an obstruction of the lower end of the nasolacrimal duct, with associated blockage of the canaliculi and puncta. Treatment includes antibiotics as well as nasolacrimal probing and irrigation in many cases. Syn. dacryocystocele.

Millodot: Dictionary of Optometry and Visual Science, 7th edition. © 2009 Butterworth-Heinemann