Epiphora means excessive tear collection in the eye. The eyes are kept moist by tears produced by the lacrimal gland. The tears help in cleaning the cornea, when the eyelids open and close. The excess tears are collectd by the lacrimal drainage system and drained in to the nose. The lacrimal drainage system comprises of the upper and lower puncta, tiny holes in the medial part of the upper and lower eye lids, the upper and lower canaliculi, the common canaliculus, the lacrimal sac and the naso lacrimal duct which opens in to the nose. When there is a block in this system, the excess tears are not disposed off and there is collection of tears in the eye which can blur the vision and can be a nuisance. When the block is in the nasolacrimal duct, there is collection of tears in the lacrimal sac, which results in a swelling between the eye and the nose.

Sometimes this sac can get infected resulting in acute or chronic dacryocystitis with an abscess formation. When there is excess watering in the eye or dacryocystitis, normally, patients consult an opthalmologist (eye specialist). The opthalmologists were performing an external DCR operation for the last 90 years or so. In the last 15 years, a technique of doing this operation through the nose using endoscopes, has been developed and perfected. This is called Endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy which is done by ENT surgeons who are trained in Endoscopic surgery. At Sinus and Nose, we specialize in this surgery. DR.P.THULASI DAS is one of the pioneers in this type of surgery and has the maximum number of Endoscopic DCRs in our country, to his credit. Today we can boast of a 98% success rate in flap Endoscopic DCRs.