Crusty Eyes Could Be A Sign Of More Serious Illnesses
(BrightPress.org) – A little bit of morning eye crust isn’t unusual. Tears and mucus, which lubricate the eyes, often accumulate on the eyelashes during sleep. However, a sudden increase in watery eyes or eye mucus could signal a more serious condition.
Dr. Peici Kuan, a pediatric ophthalmologist, told The Epoch Times that eye mucus could occur when someone works in a dusty or dirty environment or doesn’t clean makeup from around the eyes before retiring to bed. The doctor explained that a little eye mucus is the body’s way of cleaning our eyes while we sleep. If the mucus continues to reappear throughout the day, or it comes on suddenly and won’t go away, one of three conditions could be to blame.
Pink eye is caused by a bacterial or viral infection and can appear in both eyes at the same time. Nighttime production of mucus can leave the sufferer’s eyes and eyelashes glued shut with mucus upon waking. Symptoms may include eye itch, foreign body sensations, swollen eyes, and sensitivity to light.
The second culprit could be a corneal ulcer, which may be caused by bacterial, viral, fungal, or parasitic infections. Symptoms often include severe eye pain, eye congestion and redness, blurred vision, increased eye mucus discharge, and sensitivity to light.
Finally, some babies are born with a birth canal defect that causes an overproduction of eye mucus. Fortunately, the condition rarely continues into adulthood.
If you are experiencing excessive eye mucus, pain or other worrisome symptoms, contact an ophthalmologist or a primary care physician for an evaluation.
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