AIM: To investigate the clinical effect of probing lacrimal passage for congenital dacryocystitis in children.

METHODS: Totally 322 children(361 eyes)with congenital dacryocystitis treated in our hospital from January 2011 to December 2016 were selected and underwent lacrimal duct probing. The follow-up were taken on 1wk, 1 and 3mo after operation.

RESULTS: The cure rate of 322 cases(361 eyes)of congenital dacryocystitis was 99.2%(358 eyes); 3 eyes had nasolacrimal duct bony obstruction, 1 eyes had edema, 11 eyes had bleeding, and no other complications occurred. The success rate of once probing of children between 9 months to 18 months(85.0%, 204 eyes/240 eyes)was significantly higher than that of children older than 18 months(60.2%, 71 eyes/118 eyes), the difference was statistically significant(χ²=27.387, P<0.05). The one-time probing rate of multiple obstruction or adhesion of lacrimal duct was 4.4%(3 eyes/68 eyes), which was significantly lower than 94.1% of membranous obstruction at the lower end of lacrimal passage(273 eyes/290 eyes), the difference was statistically significant(χ²=251.134, P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Lacrimal duct probing can be used for most congenital dacryocystitis and can relieve the symptoms of dacryocystitis effectively. The operation is simple, safe and reliable, but the therapeutic effect is closely related to the type of lacrimal passage obstruction.