What is Mucopurulent Conjunctivitis?

Some people with conjunctivitis (“pink eye”) may experience mucopurulent discharge — a mix of mucus and pus. This usually suggests a bacterial infection, but not always. Too much discharge might also mean a severe infection.

Conjunctivitis — more commonly known as “pink eye” — is an infection of the mucus membranes that coat your eyes and the insides of your eyelids. This membrane is called your conjunctiva.

Mucopurulent refers to a type of liquid discharge. “Muco” relates to mucus, and “purulent” relates to pus. So mucopurulent discharge contains both mucus and pus.

There are many causes of conjunctivitis. It could be due to a virus or the result of allergies, among other causes. Regardless of the cause, mucopurulent discharge from your eyes may be a symptom of pink eye.

Let’s examine how mucopurulent discharge relates to conjunctivitis and what you should do if you have it.

Mucopurulent eye discharge is a fluid that secretes from your eyes. It’s made of both mucus and pus, and it contains a mix of:

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• water
• dead cells and tissue
• proteins
• lipids (fats)
• microorganisms like bacteria

Mucopurulent discharge is a symptom of many conditions. It can affect places other than your eyes, but that’s where it will occur if it’s a symptom of conjunctivitis.

The discharge is whitish-yellow in color. It’s usually a thick and somewhat sticky substance.

Frequently, it will stick to your eyelashes, becoming crusty or gluey and sometimes making them stick shut. This is especially true after sleeping, when your eyes have been closed and the lashes are together for a prolonged period.

Your eyes naturally produce mucus as a normal part of their functioning. This is true when your eyes are healthy, so it makes sense that they would continue to make mucus when you have conjunctivitis.

Part of the role your eye mucus plays is to help clear away debris from your eyes in the form of tears. If you have conjunctivitis, your eyes have more waste material to contend with. You might think of it as similar to having a runny nose when you have a common cold.

The pus is a direct result of conjunctivitis. It’s made of dead tissue and white blood cells that died fighting off the infection. As pus accumulates in your eyes, it mixes with the mucus and becomes one substance.

Mucopurulent discharge might roll from your eyes in beads, like tears. It could also accumulate in the corners of your eyes or eyelashes, where they dry out and become sticky or hard.

Does mucopurulent discharge indicate the cause of conjunctivitis?

Experts previously believed that mucopurulent discharge was indicative of bacterial conjunctivitis. But research has yielded inconsistent results on whether this holds up.

It is possible to have bacterial conjunctivitis without mucopurulent discharge, and it’s also possible to have this discharge due to viral or allergic conjunctivitis.