Eye Mucus

[TheJuicer]

I just noticed the thread on Mucus Fishing Syndrome. I just had a few comments. I have been fishing out mucus from my eyes for about 7 years now. It started about a year after wearing hard lenses due to Keratoconus. I have had dry eye syndrome for many years also. I have tried many treatments to stop the mucus but nothing has seemed to work. How can you determine that tihs syndrome is indeed what I have? Now that I have had a corneal transplant in my left eye I have not worn a lens in over a year due to the healing period. The mucus has gone down considerably but I still get some every once in a while. Also I am not touching the eye anymore due to the transplant. The right eye with hard lense still gets a considerable amount of mucus. I am always trying to get the mucus out with my hands as that seems to be the only way to clear things up. I know that my right eye is on the edge of a transplant soon, keratoconus is severe and lense barely fits. There is corneal scarring and my lens always rubs in a few spots. I thought this might be the cause of irritation and therefore the mucus. I know dry eye causes mucus to form but how can I tell the difference of what might be an infection, what might be mucus fishing syndrome, what might be contact irritation, or what is just plain dry eye. I have been going through this for 7 years and still haven't come up with an answer. Maybe it is mucu fishing syndrome. I do you thera tears many times a day and the thera nutiriton supplements. Any help?

Thanks,
Justin

[DrG]

Mucus production can go up in the presence of tear deficiency. Basically, if the eye has nothing else to produce for lubrication, it secrets more mucus. This happens with allergies as well. Keratoconus and atopic allergies are highly associated. Another contributory factor is the poorly fitting contact lens whose edges are probably rubbing your eye and causing lots of discomfort.

Mucus *fishing* syndrome happens when the eye suffers additional irritation as a result of digital removal of the mucus. This irritation superimposes itself on top of the original irritation, and the cycle continues to spiral downward.

Mucus is a clear, stringy discharge. When allergies are present, this discharge becomes whitish. A bacterial infection will produce yellow or green colored mucus.

In the world of eye care, acetylcysteine is used to breakup mucus threads in painful filamentary keratitis. Acetylcysteine is also used in inhalation form to break down the mucus in cystic fibrosis and other bronchial conditions.

There is but one published case study of a treatment for mucus fishing syndrome. This involved avoiding digital contact with the eye along with using Patanol, which is a combination antihistamine/mast-cell stabilizer.

Ultimately, if you still need to wear contact lenses after your transplants, I would recommend one of the larger lenses, like sclerals or semi-sclerals. I don't know if Theratears or omega-3 supplements will help, but they definitely won't hurt. You need to focus on what's irritating your eyes, namely allergies and the contact lenses.