AIM: To investigate the effect of indwelling time of lacrimal silicone drainage tube on chronic dacryocystitis and its effect on visual acuity.

METHODS: The clinical data of 92 patients(110 eyes)with chronic dacryocystitis treated with lacrimal drainage tube in our hospital from January 2013 to December 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the indwelling time, the patients were divided into 6wk group(42 patients 50 eyes)and 12wk group(50 patients 60 eyes). Comparison of two groups on clinical efficacy, vision, overflow symptoms, complications and recurrence was taken.

RESULTS: The effective rate was significantly higher in the 6wk group than in the 12wk group(P<0.05). The visual acuity and incidence of epilepsy symptoms at 3mo after extubation was not signifcantly different(P<0.05). The incidence of complication was 14.0%(7/50)at 3mo after extubation in 6wk group and significantly lower than that in the 12wk group which was 38.3%(23/60, P<0.05). The recurrence rate was 2.0%(1/50)in the 6wk group, which was significantly lower than that in the 12wk group(18.3%, 11/60; P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: The clinical efficacy of lacrimal silicone drainage tube for 6wk and 12wk is similar to patients with chronic dacryocystitis. There is also little difference in the visual acuity of patients with dacryocystitis, but with the prolongation of the lacrimal duct drainage tube, rinse patency rate, increase the difficulty of extubation, complications and recurrence rate, the clinical situation should be based on the patient as much as possible to shorten the lacrimal duct silicone drainage tube retention time.