Well-known causes of blood-tinged epiphora are conjunctival lesions, tumors of the lacrimal apparatus, and systemic bleeding disorders. We describe an unusual patient who presented with recurrent episodes of bloody tearing which began following an erythema multiforme-like drug eruption. He experienced chronic conjunctivitis which resulted in a few minor symblephara. One year later, the patient ...

BACKGROUND Decreased lacrimal gland output may cause dry eye syndrome. Using a rat model, we examined the feasibility of transplanting lacrimal gland cells from newborns. OBJECTIVES To restore lacrimal gland function in eyes with compromised tear production. METHODS A model of dry eye in adult rats was developed by unilateral surgical removal of the main lacrimal gland. Tear secretion in bo...

BACKGROUND Endoscopic extended maxillary mega-antrostomy (EMMA) is a mucosal sparing technique that allows maxillary drainage by gravity, with a reported symptomatic nasolacrimal duct injury incidence of 0-4%, based on history alone. Injury to the nasolacrimal duct is known to cause epiphora, a complication that is rare but more often seen in this revision surgery. OBJECTIVE The goal of this ...

Obstructions in the lacrimal pathways quite often require accurate and reliable image scanning for confirmation and documentation. Infrared thermal imaging, known as thermography, is a resource that complements diagnosis; it does not require touching the patient or applying contrast materials and has been used in various medical procedures for decades. However, there have been few studies in th...

The main objective of the present study was to prospectively evaluate long-term surgical success and safety in patients with nasolacrimal duct obstruction treated with a multidiode transcanalicular laser and bicanalicular silicone intubation stenting. 42 patients treated with transcanalicular laser dacryocystorhinostomy for nasolacrimal duct obstruction were prospectively enrolled. In all cases...

BACKGROUND Dry eye has shown a marked increase due to visual display terminal (VDT) use. It remains unclear whether reduced blinking while focusing can have a direct deleterious impact on the lacrimal gland function. To address this issue that potentially affects the life quality, we conducted a large-scale epidemiological study of VDT users and an animal study. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS...

Case IX, a 54-year-old female, presented with a history of unilateral epiphora of 7 years' duration. There was no history of injury or of inflammation and the exact date of onset could not be determined. There was, however, a long history of chronic irritation for which drops of various kinds had been instilled over a period of many years. She had been seen previously when, after lacrimal syrin...

The lacrimal gland has a multifaceted role in maintaining a homeostatic microenvironment for a healthy ocular surface via tear secretion. Dry-eye disease, which is caused by lacrimal gland dysfunction, is one of the most prevalent eye diseases that cause corneal epithelial damage and results in significant loss of vision and a reduction in the quality of life. Here we demonstrate orthotopic tra...

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to show that basic fibroblast growth factor (FGFb) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor messenger ribonucleic acids (RNA) are produced in human lacrimal tissue. Transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF beta-1) messenger RNA was not detected. These results and the previous identification of EGF in the lacrimal gland suggest that EGF could have aut...

PURPOSE The current investigators have shown that androgen treatment suppresses inflammation and stimulates the function of lacrimal glands in mouse models of Sjögren's syndrome. Recently, others have hypothesized that androgen insufficiency induces an autoimmune process in lacrimal tissue, leading to inflammation, a Sjögren's syndrome-like pathology, and aqueous tear deficiency. The purpose of...