Eye discharge treatment

A small amount of eye discharge is harmless, but if you notice changes in the color, frequency, consistency and amount, consult your eye doctor.

If an eye infection is the cause of eye mucus, your eye care practitioner may prescribe antibiotic or antiviral eye drops and ointments. If eye allergies are making your eyes watery and irritated, over-the-counter antihistamine eye drops and decongestants may relieve symptoms.

Warm compresses placed over your eyes may help relieve symptoms of itching and general eye discomfort, as well as help remove eye discharge.

If your eyelids are stuck together, the best way to "unglue" your lids is to wet a washcloth in hot water and place it over your eyes for a few minutes, before gently wiping away the discharge.

The tear drainage system keeps the eye moist and protected.

Dry eyes. Insufficient tear production or dysfunction of the meibomian glands can lead to dry eye syndrome — an often chronic condition in which the surface of the eyes is not properly lubricated and becomes irritated and inflamed. Symptoms of dry eyes include red, bloodshot eyes, a burning sensation, blurry vision and a feeling something is "in" your eye (foreign body sensation). Sometimes, dry eyes also can cause a very watery eye discharge to occur.

Contact lenses. If you wear contact lenses, you may find more sleep in your eyes than normal. This can be due to a number of reasons, including a contact lens-related eye infection, contact lens discomfort resulting in dry and irritated eyes, as well as rubbing your eyes more while wearing contacts. If you experience an increase in eye discharge when wearing contacts, remove your lenses and see your eye doctor to rule out a potentially serious eye condition.

Eye injury. A foreign body in the eye (such as dirt, debris or a chemical substance) or an eye injury can cause your eyes to secrete a watery discharge as a natural protective response. If eye pus or blood in the eye (subconjunctival hemorrhage) occurs after an eye injury, see your eye doctor immediately for treatment. All eye injuries should be treated as a medical emergency.

Corneal ulcer. A corneal ulcer is a sight-threatening, abscess-like infection of the cornea, usually caused by trauma to the eye or an untreated eye infection. If not treated promptly, corneal ulcers can lead to complete vision loss. Eye pain, redness, swollen eyelids and thick eye discharge are characteristic of a corneal ulcer. Eye pus can be so severe that it clouds the cornea and impairs vision.

Dacryocystitis. When a tear duct is blocked, the lacrimal sac in the tear drainage system leading to the nose can become inflamed and infected, causing a tender and swollen bump to appear under the inner eyelid. In addition to pain and redness, common symptoms of dacryocystitis include watery eyes, a sticky eye discharge and blurred vision.

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