11 Mar Why Do I Wake Up With Crusty Eyes?
Morning crusty eyes occur due to tears, mucus, or debris that dry out overnight while you are asleep. During the night, your eyes produce a mixture of fluids to keep your eyes lubricated and flushed of debris. Excessive crust or discomfort might hint at dryness, allergies, or an eye condition needing attention from a healthcare professional. Keep reading to learn why you are waking up with crusty eyes.
What Is Eye Discharge
Eye discharge can be normal depending on the cause and isn’t a cause for concern most of the time. During the day, your eyes make tears to keep them lubricated and wash away foreign material or irritants.
When you sleep and aren’t blinking during the night, this moisture mixes with mucus and oils on the eye surface. By morning, this stew breeds a thick, crusty film in the corners of your eyelids. While this sounds gross, in fact all of this is pretty benign and something you blink back during your healthy waking hours.
Causes Of Crusty Eyes
Waking up with crusty eyes is a common experience. It typically is the result of straightforward causes involving anatomy and your environment. When you’re asleep, you’re not blinking. This is what lets natural debris including oils, mucus, and dead skin cells to collect in the corners of your eyes.
This cruddy buildup is typically innocuous, but sometimes other causes come into play. Blepharitis is an irritation of the eyes caused by bacteria on the eyelid margin. This may cause irritation or inflammation and cause crust to form.
Individuals with dry eyes may experience more crust in one eye than the other if tear production is irregular. Seasonal allergies usually cause extra mucus, especially during high pollen seasons.
When To Seek Medical Attention
It’s generally natural to wake up with crusty eyes, however, if you experience any of the following symptoms, it is crucial to seek medical attention. If the discharge is green or yellow, it’s time to get it looked at, because that can indicate an infection.
In the same way, redness, irritation or itchiness near the eyes should raise red flags. Other signs like eyelids sticking together, flakes near the eyelid base, or foamy tears might hint at an underlying issue. Be aware of other symptoms such as burning, stinging, or light sensitivity.
Look for symptoms like watery/dry eyes and excessive crust build up or watery discharge. For example, conjunctivitis, or pinkeye, which occurs in nearly 5% of the population, is known for producing crusty eye discharge. Additionally, if you notice increased crust in one eye as compared to the other, pay attention.
If the discharge has an unusual colour as well, seek medical attention immediately. When in doubt, if symptoms are lasting or ambiguous, make an appointment with an optometrist.
Treatment Options For Crusty Eyes
Whether you’re dealing with normal crusties, pink eye, dry eye, or styes, warm compresses generally relieve irritation. Using over-the-counter artificial tears can help you keep your eyes feeling hydrated and refreshed. These work particularly well if your eyes feel gritty or dry after crust removal.
As a general rule, wash your hands before you touch your eyes to reduce the chance of infection, especially with contagious diseases.
During the day, avoid rubbing or touching your eyes. This soothes irritation and keeps germs from spreading. At night, after removing makeup, wash your face and then wash the eye area with a damp washcloth. If you wear contact lenses, make sure to remove them before sleeping.
Last, staying hydrated can make a difference as well. Apart from drinking water throughout the day, make sure to apply eye drops to soothe and hydrate your eyes.
Conclusion
Waking up with crusty eyes can seem like a frustrating problem, but it’s often a benign, self-limited condition. A combination of staying clean, maintaining proper hygiene, and further addressing the underlying causes can lead to significant improvement. Washing your face each night, avoiding irritants, and using clean towels are all easy steps to take to prevent crusty buildup. For more persistent cases, there are over-the-counter products available or a brief consultation with an optometrist can provide a solution.
Your eyes are as worthy of care, attention, and professional expertise as any other part of your body. Catching these symptoms early will help prevent further complications and help you maintain your vision. If the issue continues or gets worse, reach out to Dr D’Orio Eyecare today! Visit https://drdorioeyecare.com/book-appointment/ or call us at 416-656-2020 for our Toronto location, or 416-661-5555 for our North York location.
