Dacryocystitis is when your tear sac gets swollen and sore because it’s full of mucus or bacteria.
Imagine your eyes are like little waterfalls, they make tears that roll down your face. Usually, these tears go through a tiny tube called the nasolacrimal duct, which leads to your nose. But sometimes this tube gets clogged, like when you have a plug in a sink.
When the tube is blocked, the tears can’t flow into your nose anymore. Instead, they pool up in a little bag behind your eye, that's your tear sac. If it stays full for too long or if germs get inside, it becomes swollen and painful, just like when you leave a wet towel on your floor and it gets smelly.
What It Feels Like
Your eye might feel sore, red, or even have some pus coming out, which is like having a little leak from your tear sac. You might also notice more tears than usual, it's like the waterfall is running extra strong!
Sometimes doctors use special tools to clean out the blocked tube, helping the tears flow again and making your eye feel better.
Examples
- A child has red, swollen eyes and constantly leaks tears because their tear duct is blocked.
- An adult feels pain under their eye after a cold, which turns into a persistent infection.
- Someone gets a stye that doesn't go away and starts feeling pressure near the nose.
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