Draining Capacity of the Nasolacrimal Duct in Normal Korean Adults.

Byon, Doseok; Cho, Junggon; Lee, Kang Yeol

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society 2000;41(10):2132-2137.
Published online October 1, 2000.

Draining Capacity of the Nasolacrimal Duct in Normal Korean Adults.

¹Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Inha University, Inha University Hospital, #7-206 Shinheung-dong 3-ga, Jung-ku, Inchon, 400-711, Korea.
²Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Inha University, Inha Hospital, Korea.

한국 성인의 비루관 배출능

변도석(Do Seok Byon),조정곤(Jung Gon Cho),이강렬(Kang Yeol Lee)

Abstract

The presence of abnormality within the human lacrimal drainage system can be determined with syringing, probing, fluorescein dye disappearance test, and Jones test.But the degree of partial obstruction cannot be determined with these qualitative tests.For quantitative measurement of drainage capacity of nasolacrimal duct, authors designed an instrument that measures the fluid flow within the nasolacrimal duct from distilled water at constant height. We measured the drainage capacity with a stainless steel canula in 109 persons (218 eyes)without epiphora and impaired drainage system.The means of the drainage capacity in all cases are 4.42 +/-0.87 ml/min in right eye and 4.28 +/-0.83 ml/min in left eye.And the means of the drainage capacity in all cases are 4.46 +/-0.89 ml/min in male and 4.25 +/-0.92 ml/min in females.There are no statistic significances in laterality and sex. Normal values of drainage capacity of nasolacrimal ducts in Korean adults were suggested quantitatively according to age and sex.These values obtained in this study might help us to make early diagnosis and a proper plan of treatment in the partial obstruction of nasolacrimal duct, the differential diagnosis between epiphora from the partial obstruction within the nasolacrimal duct and those from other causes.

Key Words: Lacrimal drainage system;Nasolacrimal duct;Partial obstruction;Epiphora