It drains tears into the nose, underneath the inferior turbinate.
Timothy Root, MD
Dr. Timothy Root is a practicing ophthalmologist and cataract surgeon in Daytona Beach, Florida. His books, video lectures, and training resources can be found at www.TimRoot.com
6 Comments
Tears drain into the inferior meatus NOT the inferior turbinate. These are different things. Turbinate is the bony projection while the meatus is the depression which is below and lateral to each turbinate. So the nasolacrimal duct opens into the inferior meatus which is actually below and lateral to the inferior turbinate. Underneath the inferior turbinate is right but inferior meatus would be more appropriate I guess.
My eye dr. inserted a plug into both of my nasolacrimal
ducts. The back of my throat now is very dry.
By me have both plugs inserted into the nasolacrimal,does
this cause the throat and nose to be so dry. Is this caused from the plugs? Can these be removed if so.
Thanks for your time.
I had yellow dye inserted into my eyes to test if the drains are open and no yellow was in a tissue when I blew my nose into it after waiting ten minutes. Seems the drains are plugged. Dr. wants operate to open them and also tighten the lower lids. Don’t know what the procedure is called, but at my age of 90 is it worth the risk or is there a way to open the drains without surgery and forget the lower lids? In which case, is it possible that that is all I need? need opinion, please
Tears drain into the inferior meatus NOT the inferior turbinate. These are different things. Turbinate is the bony projection while the meatus is the depression which is below and lateral to each turbinate. So the nasolacrimal duct opens into the inferior meatus which is actually below and lateral to the inferior turbinate. Underneath the inferior turbinate is right but inferior meatus would be more appropriate I guess.
I still prefer “under the inferior turbinate” – much more succint.
Thanks Dr. Nizamani for clearing this up, I’m researching to help my daughter’s school project.
admirable,the way precision is there
My eye dr. inserted a plug into both of my nasolacrimal
ducts. The back of my throat now is very dry.
By me have both plugs inserted into the nasolacrimal,does
this cause the throat and nose to be so dry. Is this caused from the plugs? Can these be removed if so.
Thanks for your time.
I had yellow dye inserted into my eyes to test if the drains are open and no yellow was in a tissue when I blew my nose into it after waiting ten minutes. Seems the drains are plugged. Dr. wants operate to open them and also tighten the lower lids. Don’t know what the procedure is called, but at my age of 90 is it worth the risk or is there a way to open the drains without surgery and forget the lower lids? In which case, is it possible that that is all I need? need opinion, please