Waking up with the first rays of the morning and getting out of bed is a part of a normal routine, but if you find a sticky yellow or green substance deposited on the eyelids as soon as you open your eyes, then it can be difficult to ignore it as just ordinary slime. According to medical science and health experts, a slight discharge in the corners of the eyes in the morning may be natural, but the colour, thickness and quantity of this sticky substance tells a lot about the internal health of your body and eyes. Sometimes it is the result of simple allergies or fatigue, while certain colors warn that your eyes have become vulnerable to a serious bacterial or viral infection. In this special article, we will know in detail what serious health problems this sticky substance found in the eyes after waking up in the morning indicates and based on its colour, when should you immediately contact a doctor.
Our eyes keep producing a protective fluid or moisture all the time, which prevents dust, soil and pollution particles from reaching the cornea. When we blink throughout the day, these moisture and tears keep cleaning the eyes. But when we sleep at night, our eyelids remain closed for a long time and the blinking process stops. During this time, the mucus, oil, dead cells and dust particles coming out of the eyes start getting accumulated in the corners of the eyes, which is called mud or rim in common language. However, if this substance becomes much thicker, sticky and strange in color than the normal amount, it means that some kind of infection or inflammation has developed in your lacrimal glands or the membrane of the eye, which is very important to be identified in time.
The color of this discharge that accumulates in the eyes is the main parameter that helps the doctor understand what kind of problem you have. If this sticky substance is dark yellow or green in color, then it is a clear sign that you have a serious bacterial or viral infection in your eye, which is medically called conjunctivitis or in common parlance, 'eye flu'. The green or yellow color indicates that the immune system of your eye is sending WBCs (White Blood Cells) to fight the bacteria causing infection and when the dead bacteria and cells mix, it becomes a pus-like substance. On the contrary, if this discharge is white, thin and foamy, it indicates an allergy, misuse of contact lenses or dry eye syndrome. Sensing these color changes in time acts as a protective shield for both eyesight and health.
Sticky eyes when you wake up in the morning can be associated with many different types of eye problems. The most common problem is bacterial conjunctivitis, in which both the eyes get stuck so badly when you wake up in the morning that you have to apply lukewarm water to open them. Apart from this, Blepharitis i.e. inflammation of the edges of the eyelids is also a major cause, in which the oil glands get blocked and a crust like formation starts forming on the eyelids. Sometimes a foreign particle entering the eye or a corneal ulcer can also cause such purulent and sticky discharge. In areas like Uttar Pradesh where dust, pollution and changes in weather are often encountered, cases of these eye infections are seen rapidly. If carelessness is taken in this situation, it can have permanent effect on the cornea and the ability to see can become weak.
If you are also facing such stickiness and heaviness when you wake up in the morning, then you can keep your eyes safe by taking some easy precautions. First of all, completely avoid touching your eyes repeatedly with dirty fingers or unwashed hands, as bacteria can easily come in contact with the eyes through hands. Wash your face and eyes with clean, cool water several times a day. If you use makeup, remove it thoroughly before sleeping at night so that the makeup particles do not block the glands of the eyes. Always keep your towel, handkerchief or bed sheet clean and avoid sharing a towel with another person. If there is continuous pain, redness, swelling and sticky substance coming out from the eyes, then instead of relying on home remedies, consult a good ophthalmologist and use antibiotic eye drops given by the doctor, so that your eyes remain completely safe.