Why am I having stringy eye mucus?

When you notice stringy eye mucus, it means your eye is producing extra sticky fluid. This extra mucus can occur if you have an infection like bacterial conjunctivitis, which makes your eyes work to flush out germs. Allergies or irritation can also cause the eye to produce more mucus than normal.

In some cases, you might be touching or "fishing" for the mucus in your eye. This habit, often called mucus fishing syndrome, can actually make the irritation worse and lead to even more mucus being produced. To help, try not to rub your eyes and use a warm, damp washcloth to gently clean around your eye.

Keeping your hands and any cloths used clean is important, too, so you don't introduce more germs. If the mucus is accompanied by significant redness, pain, or changes in vision, it could be a sign of an infection or another eye problem. In that case, you can check your symptoms with our free AI-powered tool to better understand what might be causing your discomfort, and then see an eye doctor who can check your eyes and recommend treatment, such as eye drops or other medications, to help your eyes feel better.