A common tear duct probe at surgery center facility in Iowa includes
| |
Units |
Avg Cash price |
Provider |
Ophthalmologist visit provider fee
First-time visit
Standard
|
1 |
$103 |
Provider fee to insert probe into the tear duct
Standard
Standard
|
1 |
$149 |
Facility |
Surgery center fee to insert probe into the tear duct
Standard
Standard
|
1 |
$152 |
Anesthesia |
Anesthesiologist fee to be "put under" for procedure
Level 3
Standard
|
1 |
$179 |
Anesthesiologist time to be "put under" for procedure
Per minute
Standard
|
43 |
$76 |
Total average cash price |
|
A common tear duct probe at outpatient hospital facility in Iowa includes
| |
Units |
Avg Cash price |
Provider |
Ophthalmologist visit provider fee
First-time visit
Standard
|
1 |
$103 |
Provider fee to insert probe into the tear duct
Standard
Standard
|
1 |
$149 |
Facility |
Outpatient Hospital fee to insert probe into the tear duct
level 1
Standard
|
1 |
$301 |
Anesthesia |
Anesthesiologist fee to be "put under" for procedure
Level 3
Standard
|
1 |
$179 |
Anesthesiologist time to be "put under" for procedure
Per minute
Standard
|
43 |
$76 |
Total average cash price |
|
Tear duct probing is a procedure that is used to diagnose and treat a blocked tear duct. The tear duct starts at the corner of your eye next to your nose and drains tears into the nose from the nasolacrimal ducts. If you have a clogged tear duct, the tears can’t drain properly, and you’ll experience watery, irritated eyes.
Blocked tear ducts are common in babies and will often go away without treatment. Adults may experience blocked tear ducts as a result of:
- Chronic eye inflammation
- Uveitis
- Glaucoma
- Eye or sinus surgery
- Prior cancer treatments like chemotherapy or radiation
- Narrowing of the tear ducts due to normal aging
- Eye injuries
- Tumors near the tear ducts
During tear duct probing, saline solution may be used to irrigate the tear system and determine how well it is draining. Then a small instrument called a probe is inserted into the tear duct at the corner of the eye. This area is known as the puncta. As the probe is passed through the puncta, it will check for blockages and may clear the obstruction.
Tear duct probing for infants is done under general anesthesia. Your baby will be asleep and not feel anything during the procedure.
Adults will be given numbing eye drops to lessen any discomfort during the procedure.
Tear duct probing will last for about five to ten minutes for each eye. Children given anesthesia will spend about an hour in the recovery area for monitoring following the procedure.
A lacrimal stent is a small hollow tube placed into the puncta of the eye and the tear duct. The tube will allow tears to drain normally and is left in place for about three months. You will be able to see a small piece of the tube out of the corner of your eye.
Recovery after tear duct probing is quick. You may be given a prescription for antibiotic eye drops to use after the procedure. Blood-streaked tears are not unusual and will resolve quickly. There are usually no activity restrictions following tear duct probing.
Removal of a tear duct stent will depend on the type of stent that was placed. In general, there are two methods of removal. Either the stent will be removed through the nose or the puncta. If removed through the puncta, a numbing eye drop may be used first. When removed through the nose, the patient will be asked to blow their nose and tip their head forward. The stent is located within the nose, and the knot that holds the stent in place will be cut, allowing the stent to be pulled free.
Blocked tear ducts that are left untreated can result in severe eye infections. While blocked tear ducts are common in infants and will often resolve on their own by the time a child is about one year old, repeated blocked ducts in adults may be a sign of something more serious and should be evaluated by a healthcare provider.
About the tear duct probe Average Cash Prices
This procedure is most commonly performed at either a surgery center or an outpatient hospital.
Surgery centers, also known as ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), are independent, licensed medical
facilities that are governed by distinct regulatory requirements compared with a hospital. Procedures
performed at an ASCs are often less expensive than when they are performed at an outpatient hospital,
but they typically offer fewer complimentary services, and may not have the full-range of support
services that a hospital provides.
Outpatient facilities are outpatient departments or clinics that may be within or next to a hospital,
but is owned and run by the affiliated hospital. These facilities can perform surgical treatments and
procedures that do not require an overnight stay. Procedures performed at an outpatient hospital are
often more expensive than when they are performed in an ambulatory surgery center, but outpatient
hospitals may offer more complimentary and support services for patients because they are connected to
the hospital system.
