Bickerstaff's encephalitis is a rare inflammatory disorder of the central nervous system, first described by Edwin Bickerstaff in 1951. It may also affect the peripheral nervous system, and has features in common with both Miller Fisher syndrome and GuillainâBarrÃ© syndrome. 1  1 Signs and symptoms.  2 Pathophysiology.
Pathophysiology. Tears are produced in the lacrimal gland and drain through the upper and lower puncta into the canaliculi and then into the lacrimal sac and nasolacrimal duct (see Figure: Anatomy of the lacrimal system. ). Obstruction of tear drainage can lead to stasis and infection.
After five minutes, the cotton bud is removed and the presence of fluorescein (positive) on the bud indicates a patent lacrimal drainage system and the epiphora may be the result of lacrimal hypersecretion, caused by conditions such as ocular allergy, dry eye, blepharitis, trichiasis, distichiasis, entropion, ectropion, foreign bodies, concretions, corneal disease or anterior uveitis.