Q: My infant has already had three tear duct infections. What's
causing them, and how can I prevent another one?  A: At the
inner corner of each eye is a tiny little sac where tears are
made. Some of the fluid bathes the eye. The rest of the tears
travel through the tear duct, which empties in the nose. That's
why, when you cry and make a lot of tears, you also get a stuffy
nose and have to blow your nose to clear it out.  A tear duct
can get infected if it becomes blocked and bacteria collect in
the ducts or the lacrimal (tear) sac. The blockage might be from
some grains of dried eye discharge - the stuff that "Mr.
Sandman" creates at night, and that we discover upon awakening.
Tear duct infections can occur at any age, but they are most
common in infants. That's because the center of the duct is very
narrow, which makes it more easily obstructed. As the child
grows, the passageway widens. As a result, most children outgrow
this problem by the time they are 1 year old.  Tear duct
infections can cause pain,