Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction: Treatments (CPB 0420, reviewed 2026-07-07)
Aetna considers nasolacrimal duct probing medically necessary for nasolacrimal duct obstruction. It considers balloon dacryocystoplasty medically necessary for a mucocele of the lacrimal sac, chronic dacryocystitis or conjunctivitis due to lacrimal sac obstruction, congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction that cannot be cured by probing (members over 1 year of age), epiphora due to acquired obstruction within the nasolacrimal sac and duct, and lacrimal sac infection that must be relieved before intra-ocular surgery. Dacryocystorhinostomy, including transcanalicular laser-assisted dacryocystorhinostomy, is medically necessary for persistent symptoms despite nasolacrimal duct probing, and conjunctivodacryocystorhinostomy is medically necessary for significant anatomic abnormalities proximal to the lacrimal sac that conventional procedures cannot address.