Neonatal respiratory distress caused by cryptic dacryoceles

Two cases of neonatal respiratory distress responded with treatment of bilateral dacryocele. In one case, no visible or palpable external evidence of dacryocele was present until mucopurulent discharge commenced more than a week after birth. While the incidence of typical congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction is about 6%, dacryocele is 200 times less common.