Purpose: There are few Brazilian studies about canaliculus obstruction etiology. To analyze the various etiologies of the obstruction was the goal in the present study. Methods: The study was carried out on 63 lacrimal apparatus of 59 patients who were submitted to external examination, biomicroscopy, Jones' I and II tests and canaliculus measurement. Results: The most important etiologies were chronic dacryocystitis and failure of dacryocystorhinostomy (53.9%) followed by traumatisms caused by aggression, car accidents and a dog bite. Agenesis contributed with 9.5% and less frequent were canaliculus inflammations and infections, surgeries, radiotherapy and idiopathic obstructions. Conclusions: There is no diference between the findings of this study and those re-ported in the international literature.
Lacrimal duct obstruction; Lacrimal duct obstruction; Dacryocystitis; Dacryocystorhinostomy; Eye injuries