Spontaneous Resolution and Timing of Intervention in Congenital Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction

Although the overall rate of spontaneous resolution in congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLDO) and efficacy of probing have been documented in the literature, the optimal timing of intervention has not been established.

To report new findings regarding spontaneous resolution in a large cohort of children with CNLDO.

The medical records of 1998 consecutive infants diagnosed with CNLDO from January 1, 1995, through December 31, 2004, while residing in Olmsted County, Minnesota, were retrospectively reviewed. Data were analyzed between January 1, 2015, and January 2017.

Rate of spontaneous resolution over time and by sex.

The cohort, diagnosed at a median age of 1.2 months (interquartile range, 0.4-3.6), was 48% girls (n = 959) and 89% white (n = 1626; 173 were unreported). Among the 1998 cases, 1669 (83.5%) spontaneously resolved, 289 (14.5%) underwent treatment, and the remaining 40 (2.0%) were lost to follow-up. Of the 1958 infants followed up, CNLDO in 925 (47.3%) spontaneously resolved by age 3 months, in 1300 (66.4%) by 6 months, in 1472 (75.7%) by 9 months, and in 1516 (78.4%) by 12 months. The rate of resolution was 35% faster (95% CI, 23%-47%; P < .001) at less than 1 month vs 3 months, 43% faster (95% CI, 27%-64%; P < .001) at 3 months vs 6 months, 39% faster (95% CI, 16%-64%; P < .001) at 6 months vs 9 months, and 1% slower at 9 months vs 12 months (hazard ratio, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.80-1.22; P = .78). Congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction resolved in boys 0.5 months (95% CI, 0.2-0.8; P < .001) faster than girls (median, 2.9 vs 3.4 months), and unilateral obstructions resolved 0.2 months (95% CI, 0.1-0.4; P = .002) faster than bilateral (median, 3.1 vs 3.3 months) ones. Children probed at 15 months or older had decreased odds of resolution after probing (odds ratio, 0.11; 95% CI, 0.01-0.89; P = .04) compared with children probed at age 12 to 14 months.

Based on this large cohort of children with CNLDO, probing between age 9 and 15 months may be reasonable given that the rate of spontaneous resolution plateaued after 9 months and initial probing success declined after 15 months. This time frame supports both an earlier and narrower range of ages for intervention compared with the current practice of probing after age 1 year.