How to Deal With Eye Discharge

When you wake up in the morning, you probably notice some eye gunk in the corners of your eyes. Eye mucus tends to settle in the corners of your eyes while you are sleeping. Usually, you can remove it using your fingers, but sometimes it may feel like your eyelids are glued shut.

Read on to find out if eye discharge is something you should be concerned about from a local optician.

What Is Eye Mucus

What people call “sleep” in your eyes is discharge. In your eyes, the mucus or discharge hardens because you’re not blinking. The reason it is called “sleep” in your eyes is that it crusts in the corners of your eyes as you sleep. Some also call it eye boogers, gunk, eye pus, eye mattering and goopy eyes.

Eye discharge consists of mucus, oil, skin cells, and other debris that builds up in the corner of the eyes as you sleep. It is secreted by the conjunctiva and meibum, an oily substance produced by the meibomian glands. This substance also helps in keeping your eyes moist between blinks. Depending on how much liquid the discharge contains, it can be wet and sticky or dry and crusty.

Having some eye discharge is not always a bad thing. It protects your eyes by getting rid of waste products and possibly harmful debris from the tear film and front surface of the eyes. Your eyes create mucus throughout the day. When you blink, a continuous thin film of tears nourishes your eyes, which also flushes the mucus before it can turn hard in your eyes.

It’s normal to have some eye discharge when you wake up in the morning. However, if there is an excessive amount of green or yellow-colored discharge on your eyes, and you are experiencing blurry vision, light sensitivity, or eye pain, you might have an eye infection. If you have these symptoms, it’s best to consult a local specialist and schedule an eye exam.

Different Types of Eye Mucus

Yellow Mucus

A stye can cause yellow mucus along with a small lump or nodule on your lids. Clogging and infection of eyelid glands can also result in mucus leak. If you have a style, your eye may feel tender, and you may experience light sensitivity. There may also be a reddish bump on your eyelid, and if your case is severe, you may develop an internal hordeolum. Pus buildup will occur in the center of the stye, which causes a yellow spot that appears like a pimple.

Never attempt to squeeze the bump in your eye to release the mucus buildup because it can result in a skin infection. The best way to deal with the yellow mucus in your eye is to see an eye doctor.

Green or Gray Mucus

The most common reason your eye produces green or gray mucus is due to a bacterial eye infection. Bacterial conjunctivitis may cause your eyelids to be glued shut when you wake up in the morning. Pyogenic bacteria or microorganisms that produce pus causes this kind of infection. Individuals who are suffering from this condition may get symptoms like redness and irritation. If your eyes are crusty in the morning and it is a struggle to open them, you could have an infection.

Also called pink eye, conjunctivitis is inflammation in the conjunctiva. This part of the eye is a mucus membrane that lines the inside of the eyelids and shields the white part of the eye. Conjunctivitis comes in different forms and if you have its symptoms, you must see an eye doctor immediately.

String, White Mucus

Stringy, white mucus is often a result of allergic conjunctivitis. This allergic reaction may create deposits and material that clump together, settling inside of your eye or under your lower eyelid. People with allergic conjunctivitis may have to pull white, stringy mucus out of their eyes.

A specialist may prescribe you eye drops or oral medications if the allergies become severe. Your eye doctor might also suggest using chilled, over-the-counter, artificial tears a couple of times a day. These eye drops will keep your eyes moisturized and dilute antigens in your tears.

Thick Crust Mucus

Blepharitis can cause thick crusty mucus to form on your eyelids and eyelashes. In some cases, blepharitis develops because of the bacteria on your skin. These microorganisms can grow and infect your eyelids and eyelashes, causing redness and inflammation. People with blepharitis may also get dandruff-like scales on their lids and lashes.

You can get relief from this condition by applying warm compresses and then eyelid scrubs. Experts recommend using baby shampoo for eyelid scrubs because it is gentle and does not sting the eyes. Close your eyes and scrub the washcloth softly in a back and forth motion.

White or Yellow Mucus Balls

Dacryocystitis is the nasolacrimal sac or tear drainage system infection. The most common symptom of this condition white or yellow mucus calls. People with dacryocystitis may experience facial pain, redness, and swelling around the nasal part of the eyelid. The discharge may also expel from the puncta, a small drainage hole in the eyelid. When not treated immediately with antibiotics, the condition can turn serious.

Small, Dry Particles of Mucus

Dry eye syndrome occurs when your eyes do not produce enough quality tears. If you wake up with small, dry particles of mucus in the corner of your eyes, you may have dry eye syndrome. The main components of human tears are water, mucus, and oil. The water in your tears decreases, mucus and oil clump together, dry out and end up in the corners of your eyes.

To avoid dry eyes, make sure not to forget to blink while using your digital devices or doing activities that require you to stare at the computer screen for hours. Take a break from your task from time to time and close your eyes for a few minutes. You may also blink repeatedly to help spread tears to your eyes. If the air is too dry, you may also get dry eyes, so running a humidifier may help, especially during the colder months.

Other Causes of Eye Discharge

Injury

Dirt, debris and other foreign bodies can cause your eyes to produce a water discharge as a natural response. Get an eye examination immediately if you notice something different with your eyes after an injury. If there is blood in the eye, see a specialist as soon as possible for treatment.

Contact Lenses

People who wear contact lenses may notice more discharge in their eyes than those who don’t. Your eyes can secrete more discharge while wearing contacts due to infection, dry eyes, and rubbing your eyes while wearing contacts. Remove your contacts if you are feeling discomfort and consult your eye doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Corneal Ulcer

When not treated promptly, a corneal ulcer can put you at risk of vision loss. It is an abscess-like infection of the cornea, typically the result of trauma to the eye or an untreated eye infection. Eye pain, redness, swollen eyelids, and thick eye discharge usually characterize a corneal ulcer. In its severe stages, it can cloud the cornea and impair vision.