Molly’s Tear Duct Procedure

As we all know with Molly--there is always something we’re trying to work through. The latest ‘issue’ was a continual runny eye. We tried our best to ignore it but we finally decided to ask Dr Bob about it at her well visit and he immediately said we needed to go to a pediatric Ophthalmologist so we did. After a round of eye tests, dilation and dying drops it was confirmed that she had blocked tear ducts in both of her eyes and they would unclog them then and there. It was horrible, horrible, HORRIBLE. Definitely the worst thing we’ve witnessed thus far as parents. The Dr. strapped her to a little papoose board and literally jabbed a piece of wire in and out of her eyes...but luckily it was quick. Molly didn’t recover too quickly though, she screamed bloody murder for quite some time and in the end it took a shopping trip and a singing princess book to calm her down.

Of course because its Molly nothing is ever easy. Her left eye (the more clogged one) got infected the next day. But thanks to my Dr. Mom skills I ignored the eye Dr.'s procrastination and didn’t mess around--took her right into our pediatrician where they confirmed the infection after about 2 seconds and got her on eye drops that quickly resolved the issue. However, the procedure didn’t work. So she will likely have to have an actual surgery done this summer to insert a stint into her eye to resolve the problem.

This tale does come with a silver lining though. We have been hemming and hawing about having tubes put in her ears (chronic infections-- she’s been on low dose antibiotics every day since December) and both the tube surgery and eye surgery can be done at the same time so that is probably what we’ll do. Think they can resolve her milk and soy intolerance while they’re at it???

Poor little baby mid surgery