title: Hereditary lacrimal fistula.
abstract: Hereditary lacrimal fistula is a rare developmental anomaly. We report three patients with congenital lacrimal fistulae in the same family. Only one of our cases had bilateral lacrimal fistula while two had unilateral lacrimal fistulae. No other systemic or ocular anomaly was found in the affected subjects. In the absence of significant symptoms, we did not feel the necessity of any treatment for these lacrimal fistulae. The presence of a lacrimal fistula is an indication for the search for a variety of systemic and ocular associations in affected patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Izmir Atatürk Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maden
authors.forename: Safiye
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Melih
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ture
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005402:Fistula / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007766:Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male