Eye discharge is fairly common. When you wake up in the morning, you’ll typically have a combination of mucus, oil, and skin cells or other debris that has accumulated in the corner of your eye. Sometimes, this discharge may be dry, or wet, depending on how much liquid has evaporated over the course of the night and morning. Eye discharge is necessary for good eye health!
Where does eye mucus come from?
Every minute you’re awake, you blink 10-20 times. However at night, while you are sleeping, your eyelids are closed and unable to blink away mucus on the surface of your eye. This mucus and gunk instead sits in the corner of your eye where your eyelashes meet your eyelid. This leftover discharge is properly known as rheum.
Should I be concerned about eye goo?
Typically some eye mucus or debris found on the corner of your eye in the morning is normal. However, if you’re finding excessive amounts, or thick green, yellow, or gray discharge, it may be a sign of something more serious. Thick colored mucus could be a sign of an eye infection or bacterial conjunctivitis. Yellow discharge could be a sign of a stye, and white stringy mucus is a sign of allergic conjunctivitis.
Can an ear infection cause eye discharge?
The short answer is yes. If you have a middle ear infection, you may experience eye discharge related to the ear infection. This is most common in children, but can happen to adults. A crusty eye discharge may be a sign of an ear infection, so be sure to have your ENT doctor check out any unusual eye discharge you may notice in yourself or in your children.
If you think you have an eye or ear infection, the specialists at Florida ENT can quickly and accurately cure your symptoms. We encourage you to give our Sinus & Facial Plastics Institute a call to schedule an appointment. We offer allergy screening, allergy management and immunotherapy. To schedule an appoint, give us a call at (877) EAR-NOSE!
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