Fisheye or clavus is the thickening of the skin due to repeated pressure and friction. Fish eyes can occur anywhere on the body, but are most common on the hands, feet and fingers.
Fish eyes are usually round, smaller than calluses, have a hard center, and are surrounded by inflamed skin. In addition to its shape that can interfere with the beauty of the skin, fish eyes can also be accompanied by pain, injury, and infection. This condition is generally not a serious condition.
Causes of Fish Eyes
Basically, the cause of fish eye is pressure and friction in the skin that occurs repeatedly. Fish eyes appear as the body's natural reaction to protect the skin from getting injured or other damage that may occur due to the pressure and friction.
Here are some things that can cause pressure and friction that cause fish eyes:
- Wearing shoes that are narrow, loose, and uncomfortable
- Walking or running too often or too long
- Frequent use of tools or musical instruments by hand
- Don't wear socks or use socks that don't fit when wearing shoes
- Do not wear gloves when using tools that require repetitive motion or pressure on the hands
Apart from pressure and friction, there are several other factors that can increase a person's risk of suffering from fish eye, namely:
- Have finger deformities, such as hammertoe and bunions
- Having deformities of the hands and feet, such as bone spurs
- Suffering from obesity
- Have a sweat gland disorder
- Have scars or warts
Although it can occur in all age groups, fish eye is more common in people over 65 years of age.
Fish Eye Symptoms
Fish eyes are characterized by thickening, hardening, and round protrusions on the skin. The skin may also become scaly or dry. Fish eye is also accompanied by inflammation and pain, especially when pressed.
Based on the shape and place of occurrence, fish eyes are divided into 3 types, namely:
- Hard fish eyesHard fisheye is the most common type. The eye of this fish arises in the part of the skin that is in direct contact with the bone. Symptoms include a buildup of skin that feels hard and has a core in the middle.
- Soft fish eyeSoft eyeballs occur in moist areas of the skin, such as the skin between the fingers. The eye of this fish is whitish or gray in color, feels smooth, and has a rubbery texture.
- Small fish eyeThe eye of this type of fish is smaller than other types of fish eye. Minnows usually appear on the underside of the feet. Although smaller in size, this type of fish eye can also cause pain.
When to go to the doctor
Do an examination to the doctor if the fish eye does not improve after self-medication at home.
Get checked by a doctor if the fish eye causes severe pain that makes it difficult for you to carry out daily activities, or has bleeding or inflammation.
If you have a history of diabetes, heart disease, or circulatory disorders, it is advisable to immediately consult a doctor when a fish eye appears. Do not do self-medication at home because the wound that appears is more at risk of infection. Some signs of a skin infection that can appear are:
- Pain that gets worse
- redness
- Burning sensation
- Swollen
- festering
Fisheye Diagnosis
To diagnose fisheye, the doctor will ask questions about the symptoms and complaints experienced, medical history, as well as the patient's daily activities and habits.
The doctor will see the eye of the fish and the area around it directly. Usually, fish eyes are easy to see and recognize from their shape. The doctor will also press on some parts of the fish eye to determine whether there is pain.
To determine the cause, the doctor will also check for other abnormalities in the body that can cause fish eye, such as finger deformities, problems with bone structure, and the patient's gait.
If necessary, additional examinations with X-rays will also be carried out. The area around the thickened skin area will be examined with X-rays to see changes or physical abnormalities that can cause fish eyes.
Fish Eye Treatment
If it does not cause symptoms and does not interfere with daily activities, the fish's eye can heal on its own so no treatment is needed.
Handling that can be done is simply to avoid the cause of the fish eye, for example if the eye eye occurs due to the use of uncomfortable shoes, it is recommended to replace the shoe with a more comfortable one, so that the fish eye can immediately subside and not get worse.
If the fish eye causes discomfort and pain, there are several treatments you can do yourself at home to treat it, namely:
- Covering the hands or feet with eyelets with cotton, foam, or plaster to protect them from pressure or friction
- Smearing the fish eye with a cream containing salicylic acid so that the thickened skin peels off quickly
Fish eye requires medical treatment if it does not heal even after self-care at home. Fish eye also needs to be treated by a doctor if the sufferer has other conditions that can increase the risk of infection. Some of the treatments that are generally done by doctors to treat fish eye are:
- Depletion thickened skin layer withknifeThis procedure aims to treat the fish's eye, as well as help reduce the pain caused by the fish's eye.
- Fish eye and callus removal drugsCreams or ointments containing salicylic acid can soften and lift thickened skin. However, patients with peripheral artery disease, diabetes, and peripheral neuropathy should avoid this product because of the risk of causing damage to the deeper layers of the skin.
- Use of special cushioning in shoesThe use of shoe pads according to the shape of the patient's foot can prevent the recurrence of fish eye.
- OperationDoctors may recommend surgery to correct the position of the bones causing friction. However, this action is rarely performed.
Fish eye complications
The eyelets may continue to enlarge and become more difficult to remove if the pressure and friction are not removed. In some patients, especially people with diabetes and immune system disorders, fish eyes that are handled incorrectly can become infected or bleed.
Fish Eye Prevention
There are several things that can be done to prevent the formation of fish eyes, namely:
- Wear comfortable shoes and the right size
- Buying shoes in the afternoon or evening, usually the foot size will be larger at that time
- Apply a special moisturizing foot cream
- Trim your nails regularly
- Keep feet clean
- Wear gloves or socks to avoid friction