ABSTRACT
To find out the frequency of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction [CNLDO] and the of its management. Material and A prospective study of 160 consecutive patients with congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction, conducted from January 1999 to December 1999 at the Department of Ophthalmology Agency Head Quarter Hospital Batkhela, NWFP. Only patients below the age of twelve months were included the study. Diagnosis was made by history of epiphora beginning early in life with obstruction clinically confirmed on examination. Antibiotic drops and massage of the lacrimal sac was advised. Probing was carried out for the nonresolving cases at the age of one year. A total of 160 patients CNLDO were included in the study. Seventy Two [45%] of these infants presented within the first two months of life. Out of these 160 patients 18 patients were lost to followup. Out of remaining 142, 132[93%] of the patients resolved spontaneously with conservative treatment using topical antibiotics within one year. Only 10 [7%] of the patients required probing. Parents of CNLDO patients should be counseled about the disease and advised them to wait for spontaneous improvement. Probing for unresponsive cases is recommended