Change in Mucus

[Amy09]

Sorry if this seems like an unpleasant things to post about, but lately I've been noticing a lot of changes in the way I get mucus in my eyes. I've always gotten mucus in my eyes for years, ever since my dry eye problems started... but the past year, it seems to be a lot more frequent and VERY stringy. I can literally pull it out of my eye and it stretches up to about half an inch become coming out of my eye. also, it used to be slightly clear, but the past year it has gotten to where it is solid white.

I'm starting to wonder if my dry eye isn't necessarily caused by a decrease in tear production, but by something else having to do with the unusual type and unusual amount of mucus in my eyes. it's not from allergies- i used to have problems with allergies, but my doctor had me start getting allergy shots over six years ago so that my allergy problems would get better and so i wouldn't have to worry about taking a prescription allergy med (which does dry me out a lot). could it be caused by oil glands? i do have very, very oily skin, but i don't know if it would affect my eyes as well. any other suggestions for sources of the mucus? does anyone else have this problem?

[Justpeachythx]

Hi Amy

I have seen two opthamologists and one optometrist over the last 3 months, and the latter has noted repeatedly that I have an unusually large amount of long stringy mucous in my eyes. That's about all he can see that's "not right" with my eyes. The opthamologists haven't commented so perhaps they feel it's normal. On the other hand, they don't comment on much and when asked specifically, just repeatedly tell me my eyes are fine.

The optometrist I saw seemed very knowledgeable about dry eye. He explained to me that the long stringy mucuous is the eye's way of trying to collect whatever is irritating it and sweep it away to dispose of it -- presumably out the corner of the eye. In my case, for some reason, it's all collecting there -- not enough aqueous tear to wash it out. We are working on the premise that my eye is "reacting" to something -- possibly fall allergy, or possibly all the BAK I've been putting in my eyes over the last months what with allergy drops, a course of steroids, etc.

Until about two weeks ago, I couldn't see what he was talking about, but several times a day now I can see it and pull it out. You describe what I see. Stringy and long. Now that it's moving, the inner corners of my eyes are becoming a little less unbearably irritated.

I know it's not much help, but thought I'd share what my optometrist told me about this.

Debbi

[portrgirl]

Maybe your body is fighting off an eye infection?

I used to have what I considered normal mucous production (ie "sleep" in the morning) and then decreased to very little with my dry eyes. The past 2 weeks or so I noticed an increase, as you have, along with itchiness when putting in my Nutratear eye drops. I woke up yesterday with an infection and a lot more mucous and itchiness. I wonder now if I had a slight infection that my body couldn't fight off anymore.

[Missie]

I found this in doing a search for stringy...
The corner of my eyes are like this ~ since I started using FreshKote they are very stringy.

Does anything know if maybe this is an allergy to the FreshKote?

Thank you for your help.