Congenital Anomalies of Lacrimal Puncta.

Kim, Hong Bok; Lew, Ho Min

Case Report

Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society 1976;17(3):325-329.
Published online March 1, 1976.

Congenital Anomalies of Lacrimal Puncta.

Hong Bok Kim, Ho Min Lew

Departmcnt of Ophthalmology, Yonsei University, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

누점의 (淚點) 선천성이상

김홍복 , 유호민 ( Hong Bok Kim , Ho Min Yoo )

Abstract

The developmental anomalies of the lacrimal passage are interesting, because they are rare. The primordium of the lacrimal passage which is derived from surface ectoderm become situated in the groove between the lateral nasal and maxillary process at about 10-mm (5 weeks) stage. At 15-mm (6 weeks) stage it is free from surface ectoderm and by budding from its upper end maps out the canaliculi and puncta. Anomalies which may develop thus follow the forms of the embryological development, so that the sac and canaliculi may fail to bud off from the surface ectoderm cells, the canaliculi may run in the wrong direction, they may eventually fail to canalize, or they may be extra rods of cells budding off tbe original rod thus forming supernumeraly canaliculi and puncta. Two cases of developmental anomalies of the lacrimal passage, one has no visible puncta and the other has double puncta of both lower lids, were presented.