What is Mucus Fishing Syndrome, Causes and Treatments

Eye mucus fishing syndrome is a cyclic condition resulting from the constant extraction of mucous strands from the eye. The condition itself starts with ocular irritation, then leads to excessive mucus production, thereby causing further irritation and more mucus discharge. The treatment starts with eliminating the irritation caused, which is the patient extracting the excess mucus.

Some of the most common causes of eye mucus fishing syndrome are as follows:

Dry eye syndrome

Dry eye syndrome occurs when the eye tears are not of a quality to provide enough lubrication to your eyes. This results in the excessive production of tears to the point where they overflow. Wiping those tears will lead to inflammation, irritation, and even infection.

Conjunctivitis (pink eye)

can occur due to allergies, viruses, bacteria, or anything irritant. Along with redness and irritation, the eyes get watery excessively. It can also produce yellow or green mucus discharge.

Blepharitis

is inflammation of the eyelids. The underlying cause of it may be either abnormal or insufficient oil secretion in your tears that lead to an excessive amount of tear production, redness, crusty eyelashes

Dacryocystitis

is the infection of the tear ducts resulting from blockage. It’s more common in infants, but adults experience it, too.

Body-focused repetitive behavior (BFRB) disorder

is more than having things as “habits”. These are repetitive behaviors that are difficult to control and be harmful to your health. Hair pulling, skin picking, and biting nails can be examples.

How to Stop Eye Mucus Fish Syndrome - Its Treatment?

The treatment of mucus fishing syndrome starts with the patient overcoming their fishing habit. Your doctor is likely to tell you to stop touching, rubbing your eyes, and pulling at your mucus. If the condition caused your eyes to dry, or developed conjunctivitis or other eye condition, then you may need additional treatment like lubricating eye drops, warm or cold eye compresses, antibiotics and steroid eye drops.

Once you manage to stop fishing your mucus and treat the underlying cause, your condition will improve, and eventually, your eyes will slow down their mucus production. Hence, you won’t have the urge to fish. However, if you still feel like fishing even when the underlying cause is treated and your eyes stopped producing an excessive amount of mucus, then you should consult with your doctor about it.

Mucus Fish Syndrome Eye Side Effects

Untreated and neglected eye problems always increase the risk of you having a serious eye infection. Furthermore, the more you touch and rub your eyes, the greater the chance that your eyes will be infected even worse.

If you have mucus fishing syndrome, it means you are repetitively inclined to pull strands of mucus from your eye frequently. As it will increase the likeliness of having eye irritation, excessive mucus production, and developing an infection, the symptoms include redness in the eye, tear production, inflammation, and pain.

How to Stop Eye Mucus Fishing Syndrome

As it all starts with the patient pulling stands of mucus from the eye repetitively, the treatment starts with the patient themselves. It is of great importance to refrain from touching or rubbing the eyes as they increase the chance of developing irritation and infection in the eye.