A healthy infant with bloody tears: Case report and mini-review of the literature

Abstract

A 4-month old healthy infant was brought by her parents to the emergency department with bloody tears of three days duration. There was also intermittent yellowish discharge since birth and a history of flu-like symptoms a week prior to presentation. Extensive investigations revealed no infection or other possible etiologies. The patient was treated with antibiotic eye drops and her condition resolved within a three-four days. In the literature, 15 cases with haemolacria of undermined source were reviewed; the median age of onset (12 years), bilateral involvement and female gender were more commonly encountered, and the most common associated illnesses were headache and epistaxis. The condition is self-limiting and spontaneous resolution is seen in majority of cases. Idiopathic haemolacria is a rare condition that can be presumed in patients presenting with bloody tears when all work-up turns to be negative. The condition is self-limiting with spontaneous resolution.