Spontaneous expulsion of lacrimal gland ductule stones by eyelid squeezing: a rare event
Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 1, 2026

Establishment of a Severe Dry Eye Model Using Complete Dacryoadenectomy in Rabbits
Published on: January 8, 2020
1Department of Ophthalmology, Shyam Shah Medical College , Rewa, MP , India.
Purpose:
To report a rare case of lacrimal gland ductule stones.
Methods:
Case report.
Results:
A 12-year-old female patient presented with pain, redness and swelling in the superotemporal fornix of the left eye of 1-week duration. She had experienced four similar episodes over a period of 2 years. Clinical evaluation revealed a mass adjacent to the lacrimal gland and some stone edges protruding through the lacrimal gland ductules. During preparation for their mechanical removal, a spontaneous expulsion of stones occurred. Microbiological examination of stones did not show any microorganism or nidus such as cilia. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed the stones to be composed of calcium carbonate 90% and magnesium hydrogen phosphates 10%. After spontaneous expulsion, the condition subsided without any complications.
Conclusion:
Lacrimal gland stones represent a very rare clinical entity and this should be considered in the differential diagnosis of recurrent nonspecific conjunctivitis and dacryoadenitis.
Related Concept Videos
Accessory Structures of the Eye
Angle Closure Glaucoma: Treatment
Glaucoma: Overview
Microbiome of the Eye
Muscles of the Eye
Extraocular Muscles
The six extraocular muscles surround the eyeball and control its movements. They are responsible for a wide range of eye motions, including looking up, down, left, right, and...

