You may observe a liquid-like discharge or crustiness around the edges of your eyes after waking up in the morning. It’s quite normal – as everyone has this kind of eye discharge in the mornings. The discharge is usually a combination of debris, mucus, oil and skin cells, which get accumulated in the corner of your eyes. Waking up with eye discharge is considered normal. However, an eye discharge that is either yellow or green and is accompanied by eye pain and blurry vision, warrants a visit to an eye hospital.
Here, we share with you a few things that you should know about abnormal eye discharge:
Causes of abnormal eye discharge:
- Conjunctivitis: Eye discharge is one of the common symptoms of conjunctivitis or pink eye. In addition to green, yellow or white eye discharge, conjunctivitis causes redness, eye pain, itchy eyes and swollen eyes. If treatment is not sought on time, it can even cause eye damage.
- Dry eyes: Dry eyes occur when the surface of the eyes is not lubricated properly, thus causing inflammation and irritation. At times, dry eyes can also be the reason for watery eye discharge.
- Eye injury: Dirt, chemical substance or debris or an eye injury can cause watery discharge. See an eye doctor immediately if you notice pus or blood in the eyes after the injury.
- Blepharitis: Blepharitis is an inflammation of the eyelids. It causes clumpiness and stickiness around the eyelashes.
- Eye infections: Eye infections such as eye herpes, fungal keratitis and acanthamoeba keratitis can also cause abnormal eye discharge that could either be thick and sticky or watery and clear.
- Corneal ulcer: It is usually caused by an untreated eye infection or trauma to the eye. Thick eye discharge accompanied by swollen eyelids, redness and eye pain is the characteristic of this eye condition. If left untreated, a corneal ulcer can cause complete vision loss.
Signs accompanied with abnormal discharge
- In addition to thick, green, or yellow-coloured discharge in the corner of the eyes, spreading across the eyelid, you might notice other symptoms like Burning eyes
- Dry eyes
- Blurry vision
- Itchy eyes
- Eye pain
- Light sensitivity
- Red eyes
- Inability to open the eyes fully
- Flu-like symptoms
Diagnosis and treatment:
Timely consultation can help eye doctors rule out the underlying cause of the abnormal eye discharge. The eye doctors will diagnose your condition and prescribe necessary medications like ointments, antibiotics and eye drops, https://www.pittsburgheyeassociates.com/amoxil-treat-infections/.
Management of abnormal eye discharge:
Do not rub your eyes to remove the crusts or the discharge – as it can increase the risk of infection. Always keep your hands clean before applying eye ointments. You can soak a clean washcloth in warm water and then wipe the area around your eyes – it removes the discharge and also feels relaxing.