puncta lacrimalia

anatomy

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Last updated

July 13, 2026

Quick Summary

The puncta lacrimalia are small openings located at the inner corner of each eyelid margin. These openings are part of the tear drainage system of the eye. Tears produced by the lacrimal glands flow across the eye and then enter these puncta. From the puncta, tears travel through small ducts called canaliculi into the lacrimal sac, which then empties into the nasolacrimal duct and drains into the nasal cavity. Blockage of these tear pathways can lead to conditions like dacryocystitis, an inflammation and infection of the lacrimal sac.1234

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tear duct and glands
…have barely visible openings, called puncta, at the nasal end of the upper and lower lid margins. The canaliculi lead to the lacrimal sac near the inner corner of each eye, which itself empties into the nasolacrimal duct, a tubelike structure that directs tears into the nasal cavity.
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…have barely visible openings, called puncta, at the nasal end of the upper and lower lid margins. The canaliculi lead to the lacrimal sac near the inner corner of each eye, which itself empties into the nasolacrimal duct, a tubelike structure that directs tears into the nasal cavity.
Read More