From the Research
The prevalence of lacrimal sac abnormalities in India is not directly reported in the provided studies, but based on the available evidence, it can be inferred that dacryocystitis, inflammation of the lacrimal sac, is a common condition in India, particularly affecting middle-aged and elderly women. The studies provided do not give a clear estimate of the prevalence of lacrimal sac abnormalities in India. However, a study on acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction found that chronic nongranulomatous inflammation was the most common histological finding, corresponding to 70.5% of cases 1. Another study on endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy in nasolacrimal duct obstruction with and without dacryocystitis found that patients with high obstruction accounted for 61.2% in the obstruction group and 32.7% in the dacryocystitis group 2.
- Key factors contributing to the prevalence of lacrimal sac abnormalities in India include:
- Anatomical factors, such as narrower nasolacrimal ducts compared to Western populations
- Environmental factors, such as increased exposure to dust, smoke, and pollutants in many Indian regions
- Patients with lacrimal sac abnormalities typically present with:
- Epiphora (excessive tearing)
- Discharge
- Recurrent conjunctivitis
- Early diagnosis and treatment are essential, with options ranging from conservative management with antibiotics for acute cases to surgical interventions like dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) for chronic cases with nasolacrimal duct obstruction, as reported in a study on mascara-induced nasolacrimal duct obstruction 3.
- A study on the practice patterns of lacrimal and eyelid disorders in India found that a large proportion of respondents advised lacrimal sac compression up to 1 year of age, and the preferred minimum age for advising primary nasolacrimal duct probing was 1 year 4.
- Another study reported a case of dacryolith-induced acute dacryocystitis, which was found to be a reversible cause of nasolacrimal duct obstruction 5.