
If you do not blink your eyes for a long span or if you stare at something for long, such as a computer screen, you will find your eyes to be dry and forming crusts more than usual, when you wake up in the morning from sleep. If your eyes do not produce enough tears or moisturizer, the eyes will become dry and form crust by concentrating the excess matters like mucus, oil or dirt and dust particles. This also is a common condition which gets treated with time with the use of cold compress or antihistamine (in case the patient is above 3 years old).ĭry Eyes: Another common reason behind developing crusty eyes is dry eyes. This will also help you to reduce the itchiness and soothe the eyes.Ĭhronic Allergic Conjunctivitis: When you are allergic to pollen or hay, you will develop this condition in the whites of your eyes, which become red, swollen and itchy by these allergens. All that you need to do is, clean the crust with a soft and wet piece of cloth. This condition, however, does not require any antibiotic treatment. If your eyes seem to be extra-sticky, relax and leave the washcloth on there for a few minutes.Viral Conjunctivitis: An extremely contagious condition in which a virus infects the white portion of the eye, making it pink. The best way to clean your eyes (and, it feels good!) is to lay a washcloth soaked with very warm water on your eyelids and lashes and gently clean them. It’s never a good idea, as germs on your hands could lead to an eye infection. In those cases, I would also recommend seeing an ophthalmologist.” Keep Your Eyes CleanĪlthough it’s tempting to rub your eyes with your hands in the morning, try to resist. In some cases it could be enough to make your eyes stick together.

“There are also chronic conditions like blepharitis (a type of inflammation), dry eye, and allergic conjunctivitis that can also cause sleep crust. In that case, you should see an ophthalmologist,” according to Pettey. “If the discharge is yellow or green, that can be a sign of bacterial conjunctivitis (a common form of pink eye). It should be white or light cream color-which is normal.” What If You Have a Lot of it or it’s a Different Color? Bottom Line: Eyes glued shut in the morning predicts the presence of bacterial infection, whereas a complaint of itching or a history of conjunctivitis indicates a nonbacterial cause. The warmth can loosen the crust from dried mucus, allowing. But during allergy season, or when your eyes are dry, you may get a little more. If your eyes are glued shut from dried discharge, take a warm washcloth and gently wipe your eyes. Some people may have so little material they may not even notice it’s there.

“A healthy, functioning eye will produce the mucus, salts, and oils that cause it to form, though it can show up in different amounts in different people. “Pretty much everyone wakes up with sleep crust,” Pettey said. But when you’re asleep, gravity, and the fact that you are not blinking, makes it collect in the corners of the eyes.” Does Everyone Wake Up this Way? During the day, all of that stuff is washed away by blinking natural tears, which keep it from sticking around.

“It’s a natural part of healthy eye function.
#Eyes glued shut in the morning skin
“Sleep crust is a mix of mucus, exfoliated skin cells, oils, and tears produced or shed by the eye during sleep,” said Pettey. “It’s all part of a good night’s sleep” So What Exactly is This Stuff and Where Does it Come From? “The medical term is ‘rheum,’ though you rarely hear it used,” said Jeff Pettey, MD, ophthalmologist with Moran Eye Center. Sleep in your eyes, sleep crust, sand, eye gunk-whatever you call it, we all get it-that crusty stuff in the corners of your eyes when you wake up in the morning.
