ABSTRACT

Lacrimal punctal or canalicular slitting is usually seen as a complication of bicanalicular silicon intubation and, except that, is rarely encountered. Here we report two cases of slit canaliculus due to self-inflicted trauma and congenital developmental anomaly and discuss the relevant literature. Twenty-five-year-old male patient with psychotic disorder presented with bilateral upper canalicular slitting and lower punctal stenosis as well as symblepharon and restrictive ocular myopathy due to self-mutilation with sharp objects. The other patient was a 70-year-old female who had a mucosal opening from the punctum to the medial canthus in all four canaliculi. Although slit canaliculus constitute a significant anatomic deformity, it did not cause lacrimal complaints in both patients.