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A-Z Glossary

Table of Contents

Canaliculitis

Written byDanielle Stoken
Danielle StokenEye Health & Wellness ContributorPittsburgh, PA

Bio

I was so excited when I learned about CorneaCare and am honored to share content, tips and stories about dry eye! I am a certified Health Coach through the Institute for Integrative nutrition so the intersection of nutrition/lifestyle and dry eye disease is one that I am particularly passionate about. Since recently becoming a mom, I care even more about my eye care and self-care and am learning so much through CorneaCare's educational resources.

Get to know me a little better!

Hobby: baking sourdough bread
Food: pasta
Superhero: my dad
Guilty pleasure: cold brew coffee (really, any coffee)
Secret power: serious facial recognition/recollection

Training:

Undergraduate: Carnegie Mellon University
Nutrition training: Institute for Integrative Nutrition

  • Updated May 4, 2022

What is Canaliculitis?

Canaliculitis is a disease of the lacrimal canaliculus, which is a small duct in the eyelid.¹ It typically affects patients over 40 years old.¹ Often, there are no identifiable risk factors. However, in some cases, obstruction in the canaliculus by a punctal plug or other foreign object can initiate bacterial growth.¹

Symptoms of canaliculitis include red eyes, watery eyes, swelling and discharge. Most symptoms present in the corner of the eye closest to the nose.² Doctors often misdiagnose canaliculitis because these symptoms are similar to common eye conditions like allergic conjunctivitis, dry eye disease, blepharitis and meibomian gland dysfunction.² One difference is that canaliculitis often results in stone formation in the canals.¹  

Key Takeaways

  • Canaliculitis is a rare disorder often mistaken for other eye conditions like blepharitis, dry eye disease and conjunctivitis.
  • Doctors aren’t sure what causes canaliculitis, but having punctal plugs may be a risk factor.
  • Canaliculitis is treatable with warm compress, medication and in some cases, surgery.

Understanding Canaliculitis

Canaliculitis is a rare condition and makes up only about 2-4% of all lacrimal diseases.³ The condition is even rarer in younger populations, with the average age of an individual with canaliculitis around 40 years.

Because it is so uncommon, many patients experience symptoms more severely or for a longer time due to underdiagnosis.²

Diagnosing Canaliculitis

To diagnose canaliculitis, an eye doctor (optometrist or ophthalmologist) will perform a physical assessment of the affected eye. They will express and probe the canaliculus to look for discharge or drainage issues, unless the eye is acutely and severely inflamed, then probing is avoided¹ 

A doctor can perform laboratory tests from cultures taken during the examination to look for common pathogens that may contribute to canaliculitis development.¹ Additionally, if a patient has punctal plugs or canaliculus obstruction is suspected, a doctor may use imaging to check for potential blockages.² 

Treating Canaliculitis

Patients can manage canaliculitis at home with a warm compress and massage. Warm compresses can be made using a soft cloth and warm water, or come available as a self-heating eye mask. Warm compress and massage help loosen and break-up the canalicular obstruction.² Eye doctors can also prescribe topical or oral antibiotics to fight bacteria and irrigation to flush out the discharge.²

If an obstruction is present, canaliculitis recurrence is possible and likely. If present, a doctor may perform surgery to remove the blockage (like a stone or punctal plug).² In some cases, doctors may insert a temporary stent in the canaliculus to prevent scarring.¹ Before surgery, doctors will use a local anesthetic to numb the area, and will provide prescription antibiotics and eye drops to use post-surgery to prevent reinfection.²


Surgery for canaliculitis is often successful and may prohibit the recurrence of the disease.²

Bibliography

  1. Giacometti, Joseph. “Canaliculitis.” EyeWiki, 17 November 2021, https://eyewiki.org/Canaliculitis. Accessed 14 April 2022.
  2. Zaveri, Jill. “Lacrimal canaliculitis.” NCBI, 13 November 2013, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3923200/. Accessed 14 April 2022.
  3. “Primary canaliculitis: The incidence, clinical features, outcome and long-term epiphora after snip–punctoplasty and curettage.” Science Direct, 2015, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1319453415000910.

 

Related Terms

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Epiretinal Membrane

is fibrous tissue (scar tissue) that forms on the top of the retina.

Anterior Chamber

is located between the iris and the innermost corneal surface. It is filled with fluid called aqueous humor.

Dacryostenosis

is inflammation of the nasolacrimal duct (tear sac), mainly due to poor tear drainage.

Blepharochalasis

Occurs when the eyelids suddenly become inflamed and swell.

20/20 Vision

is a term used to describe good visual acuity (clarity) when measured from about 20 feet away.

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