Lacrimal & Orbital Surgery

Lacrimal and orbital surgery includes a variety of oculoplastic procedures that include operations addressing problems of the tear duct (lacrimal) system or the eye socket (orbit).

Conditions that can affect the orbit include thyroid eye disease, orbital tumours, and trauma causing fracture of the eye socket. As an oculoplastic subspecialist, Dr Figueira has extensive training and experience in the diagnosis and treatment of the entire spectrum of lacrimal and orbital disorders including their surgical management. Some of these conditions require complex surgery and Dr Figueira is also able to offer such operations at the Prince of Wales Hospital.

Dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) – Surgery for blocked tear duct

A watery eye can be very troublesome and can occur due to many different causes. It results essentially from an imbalance between the amount of tears being produced by the tear (lacrimal) gland (“inflow”) and amount that can be removed by evaporation and the tear drainage system (“outflow”). If there is a problem with the “plumbing” of the tear drainage system and the tear duct is blocked or narrowed, then DCR operation may be required.

Dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) surgery bypasses the blocked tear duct by creating a new passageway from the tear sac to the inside of the nose, by removing a small piece of bone between them. DCR operation can be performed via two techniques: endoscopic DCR (nasal approach) or external DCR (requiring skin incision). Endoscopic tear duct surgery is the preferred procedure and Dr Figueira has extensive experience in this technique. This is a minimally invasive DCR where the surgery is performed through the nose using an endoscope or camera. If the nasal passage is too narrow, a procedure to straighten the nasal septum (septoplasty) may also be performed. Endonasal DCR has the advantages of no scarring on the face and a quicker recovery.

For more information on lacrimal and orbital surgery, please call Eastwood Eye Specialists for an appointment.