AIM:To evaluate the effect of reducing the use of antibiotics in the treatment of infant bacterial dacryocystitis after probing of the lacrimal duct.METHODS: A total of 542 cases of children under one year old and accepting nasolacrimal duct probing treatment were divided into two groups, which were treated with topical and oral antibiotics, respectively. Conjunctival sac secretions were used as a control index of bacterial infection, whereas the disappearance of epiphora symptoms and lacrimal passage patency were used as cure indexes. The χ² test was used to compare enumeration and measurement data, and a statistical significance was set at P<0.05. The therapeutic effect on the two groups of postoperative patients was investigated.RESULTS:In the two study groups, no significant differences in gender, age and postoperative control of lacrimal sac infection were observed. The cure rates after three probing operations also showed no significant difference.CONCLUSION:After probing of the lacrimal passage, results of this study confirmed that postoperative medication without oral antibiotics but an ophthalmic dosage of antibiotics was a simple and effective treatment method.