Mode of delivery, birth weight and the incidence of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction

AIM: To study any possible association of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLDO) with mode of delivery, birth weight and gestational age. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed charts of all patients (n=2591) under the age of 3y who were born between April 2015 and May 2017 and were examined at the Ophthalmology Clinic of Emsey Hospital Istanbul, Turkey. We identified patients (n=105) who were diagnosed as CNLDO. The mode of delivery, birth weight and gestational age along with any adverse event during or after delivery or any other health history were determined. Birth statistical data were obtained from the hospital's medical records database. RESULTS: Gestational age of babies who were born via cesarean section (CS) was lower than gestational age of babies who were born via normal spontaneous vaginal delivery (NSVD; P=0.002). Babies who were born via CS were found to have 3.75 times higher risk of developing NLDO when compared to babies who were born via NSVD (OR=3.754). CONCLUSION: There is a possible association between CS and CNLDO.