Place your or your index finger on the side of the nose, near the inner corner of the eye. You are aiming for the area just below the corner of the eye and right against the nose bridge. You should feel a small, bony ridge; the soft area just to the outside of that ridge is the lacrimal sac.
While common in newborns—affecting about 5% of infants due to a membrane that fails to open at birth—it can also affect adults. , often called the Crigler massage , is the most frequent non-surgical recommendation to clear these blockages by applying physical pressure to "pop" open the obstruction. How Tear Duct Massage Works massage for tear duct blockage
From there, tears travel through the canaliculi into the (located in the corner of the eye) and down the nasolacrimal duct into the nose. When this duct is blocked, tears back up into the sac, causing overflow and sometimes infection. The goal of the massage is to create hydrostatic pressure to push the blockage through or to pop open a membrane that failed to open at birth. Place your or your index finger on the
: Press firmly but gently. You are aiming to compress the lacrimal sac , which is located in this area. While common in newborns—affecting about 5% of infants
To understand the massage, one must understand the anatomy. Tears drain from the eye through two small openings (puncta) located at the inner corners of the upper and lower eyelids. From there, tears travel through the canaliculi into the (a small reservoir located in the bony groove along the side of the nose). Finally, tears pass down the nasolacrimal duct into the nasal cavity. A blockage most commonly occurs at the valve of Hasner, where the duct empties into the nose.