We have received a request from your referring doctor for you to have a Dacrocystogram.  This leaflet is designed to give you some information about the procedure, to help you prepare for your examination and to give you some idea of what to expect when you attend.

A Dacrocystogram is the name given to an examination of the tear duct.

You may have a problem with a watering or weepy eye, which suggests a problem with the drainage of tears from the eye into the nose.

The doctor who saw you in the eye (opthalmology) department has made this decision.

If your appointment time is not convenient it is essential that you contact the hospital department on telephone number: (0191) 2824330 immediately, so that a more appropriate time can be arranged.  This will enable us to reallocate valuable time to someone else.

If you wear contact lenses, these cannot be worn on the day of the test – you must wear spectacles instead.  Continue to take your usual medication.

• The doctor (radiologist) who will perform the test will explain it to you and answer any questions you may have.
• You will be asked to lie down and a small drop of local anaesthetic will be put into your eye. This will numb the area while the test is done.
• A tiny tube (cannula) is then passed into the opening of the tear duct in your upper or lower eyelid.  This should not be painful. 
• The tube is then held in place with tape while X-ray contrast fluid is injected into it.
• The radiologist watches the contrast on the x-ray camera, which will be close to your face but will not touch you.  You should lie still. 
• If the contrast goes down the tear duct, you will feel it in your nose and may taste it in your mouth. 
• Some contrast may spill on to your face but it is completely harmless and washes off.

The local anaesthetic may sting for a moment, but after that, you will not feel any discomfort.

It will take approximately 20 minutes.

Any tears or dye contrast will be wiped away with tissue.  We usually ask that you remain in the department for 20-30 minutes after the examination to allow the anaesthetic to wear off. 

This examination will give the doctor further information about your condition.

The test would not be performed if you had evidence of infection involving the eye/tear duct as it could make this worse.  Occasionally, it is not possible to complete the test if the tube cannot be inserted correctly.

Yes.

A report will be sent to the consultant who asked for the test to be done, within two weeks of your examination.

If you need an ambulance, you must ask your General Practitioner’s surgery to arrange one. You will need to give them three working days notice.  Please inform the department if you are arriving by ambulance as we will arrange your appointment time to fit with ambulance arrivals.

Should you have any suggestions or concerns, please make these known to the person conducting your examination, or by letter addressed to:

Royal Victoria Infirmary

The Departmental Manager

X-ray Department, Level 3

Royal Victoria Infirmary

Queen Victoria Road

Newcastle upon Tyne

NE1 4LP

Tel: (0191) 282 1099

Monday to Friday: From 9.00am to 5.00pm

All Newcastle Hospitals Switchboard Tel: (0191) 233 6161

If you need to turn to someone for on-the-spot help, advice and support, please contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) on:

Due to the transformations of the Newcastle Hospitals, please see 'Patient and Visitor Guides' to check map details for updates.

Alternatively, please see map details on how to get to the new Victoria Wing, RVI.

All patient information is available in large print size for people with visual impairments or partial vision.  Please click on the link above, 'large print size' to view and print the document or alternatively, please click on the large 'A' at the top of the screen to read this information on-line.

Produced by: Dr J Graham, Clinical Directorate of Radiology
Reviewed: November 2009
Next Review: November 2012