The correspondence between the canaliculus irrigation test, dacryocystography, and Jones test in patients with epiphora was investigated.

The study included 494 eyes of 359 patients who complained of epiphora and underwent both canaliculus irrigation test and dacryocystography from May 2001 to March 2006. Sixty-eight eyes from 34 patients diagnosed with functional lacrimal duct obstruction took Jones tests. Factors such as age, sex, duration of epiphora, and site of obstruction were analyzed in terms of correspondence of the tests.

Between the canaliculus irrigation test and dacryocystography, correspondent rate was 55%. Correspondence had no relation to patient age, sex, duration of epiphora, or site of obstruction. Between Jones test and dacryocystography, the correspondent rate was 47%. Factors affecting the correspondences were not significantly found.

A canaliculus irrigation test can give useful information with high correspondence rate of dacryocystography in the case of 'not pass' or 'pass without regurgitation'. Therefore dacryocystography should be utilized in "pass with regurgitation" cases by canaliculus irrigation test.