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A member asked:

Does punctual cautery help you retain more tears than punctual plugs?and when does a opthamologist normally want to try punctual cautery on a patient?

A doctor has provided 1 answer
Dr. Jan Lei Iwata answered

Specializes in Ophthalmology

Punctual plugs are : tried first to see if they can help retain tears. They usually are a temporizing procedure that last a few months, and eventually fall out or can go down the masolacrimal duct I'd missized. The cautery is a more permanent solution to keep tears retained. It's a very simple in- office procedure.

Answered 11/13/2015

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