title: Use of the Crawford tube for symptomatic epiphora without nasolacrimal obstruction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of the Crawford tube in treating symptomatic epiphora without nasolacrimal obstruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  A protocol was adopted for the management of symptomatic epiphora without nasolacrimal obstruction. Patients who suffered symptomatic epiphora without nasolacrimal obstruction in both eyes were included in the study. One eye was treated with Crawford tube intubation and the other eye was treated with medication therapy. Degree of watering, patient satisfaction, and symptomatic improvement were carefully evaluated by one of the authors at the end of the follow-up period, after Crawford tube removal, to ascertain functional results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-seven adult patients (37 eyes) underwent Crawford tube intubation for functional epiphora. The mean follow-up time after removal of the tube was 14.8±4.8mo. The procedure was an overall success in 28 eyes (75.7%), with symptoms improving significantly. Two eyes (5.4%) were relieved of indoor epiphora, two (5.4%) had minimal epiphora outdoors, but only with wind or cold, and five (13.5%) continued to experience tearing both indoors and outdoors. Thirty of the patients (81%) expressed satisfaction with the procedure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Crawford tube insertion is an effective, safe, simple, and relatively noninvasive treatment strategy for functional lacrimal system obstruction.
authors.affiliation: Eye Center, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, China; Zhejiang Provincal Key Lab of Ophthalmology, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Nyu-Xia
authors.initials: NX
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.affiliation: Eye Center, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, China; Zhejiang Provincal Key Lab of Ophthalmology, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Ying-Ying
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Eye Center, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, China; Zhejiang Provincal Key Lab of Ophthalmology, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiu-Ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Jin
keywords: Crawford tube; epiphora; functional nasolacrimal duct obstruction; lacrimal pump failure