News and thoughts from the people at EllisLab.

Tear Duct Plugs

Posted by Rick Ellis on March 20, 2008

I had Lasik eye surgery a couple months ago, and although my vision is pretty good now, I’m still dealing with a little blurriness at distance, which my doctor attributes to my chronically dry eyes. 

When they cut the flap in your eye to do the procedure it severs the nerves which inform your brain to keep your eyes moist.  Eventually the nerves reconnect, but it takes nearly a year.  Since the procedure I’ve been using artificial tears so frequently that I’m considering buying stock in the companies that produce it.

So today I’m at a follow up appointment and my doctor tells me that my eyes are so dry they look like those of a 90 year old man. 

“Gee thanks”, I say with feigned sincerity, “I have you to thank”.

“I’m going to plug your tear ducts”, he informs me, “so your eyes will stay more moist”.

“What?!”, I exclaim! “I could swear I heard you say you’re going to plug my tear ducts!”. 

“Yes”, he replies, “I’m going to insert silicone plugs into the holes, blocking your tears from draining”.

“Plugs”, I repeat slowly, “into my tear duct… the holes in my eyelids?!!!”.

“Uh huh”, he mumbles as he begins unwrapping the package, “it will keep your eyes more moist. They’ll heal faster”.

And so he did.  While my mouth was hanging open in amazement, he grabbed the grommets with his tweezers, shined a magnification light at me, and slipped the little buggers into the holes.

Hours later I’m still in shock that I have rubber grommets in my tear ducts.  That’s just so, so wrong…