Mechanical occlusion of lacrimal punctum

Mechanical occlusion of the punctum refers to the procedure of physically blocking the lacrimal puncta—small drainage openings located at the inner corners of the eyelids—to reduce the outflow of tears from the surface of the eye. It is typically performed as a treatment for dry eye disease, especially when artificial tears are insufficient. The two main techniques are the insertion of punctal plugs (temporary or semi-permanent, made of materials such as collagen or silicone) or permanent closure using thermal cautery. By preventing tear drainage through the punctum, this procedure increases the retention of tears and helps lubricate and protect the ocular surface[1][3][5][7]. ### Context and Further Notes - This is not a molecular target, receptor, enzyme, or protein; it is a **surgical or mechanical intervention** aimed at an anatomical structure (the punctum). - No canonical molecular abbreviation, drug interactions, or biomarker-based approaches are relevant. - If a request for structured information on “mechanical occlusion of punctum” is for database inclusion, this entry should be flagged as **not a molecular/therapeutic target** and potentially as an **incorrect submission for target mapping**. **Summary:** Mechanical occlusion of punctum is a medical procedure, not a biological or pharmacological target, involving the closure of the tear drainage duct openings (puncta) to treat dry eye, primarily through plugs or cautery. It is not a molecule, receptor, or protein and would be an incorrect target entry for a molecular target database[1][3][5][7].

Other names

Punctal occlusionOcclusion of lacrimal punctumPunctal blockPunctal closure

Physically blocks tear drainage through the punctum to retain tears on the ocular surface[1][3][5].