What causes eye boogers? Related conditions and treatments

Overview: What do eye boogers look like?

Eye discharge is the goopy or crusty stuff that gathers at the corner of your eyes, bottom of the eyelids, or along the eyelashes. Most people notice it as “sleep crust” when waking up after a night’s sleep. This discharge may be called “sleep,” eye boogers, eye gunk, or eye goop, or sometimes “rheum” by healthcare professionals. It is usually a normal part of eye function and is made of tears (salt water), eye mucus, oils, dead skin cells, and foreign particles on the eye’s surface. Blinking pushes all this stuff off the surface of the eye. Although rheum is an everyday phenomenon, eye boogers are a cause for concern when they’re sudden, excessive, odd-colored, or accompanied by other symptoms such as blurry vision, red eye, swelling, or eye pain. Something is probably wrong in those cases, such as an eye infection or other problem. 

What causes eye boogers?

Eye discharge is a combination of tears, eye mucus, oil, and other stuff. It’s normal and usually no cause for concern. Most causes of eye boogers are relatively harmless, but sometimes eye boogers are a sign of an underlying problem.

The most common causes of eye boogers are not health threats. These include:

• Buildup of eye mucus and oil during sleep

• Dry eyes

• Contact lens use or overuse

• Stye

• Allergens (allergic conjunctivitis)

Eye boogers may also be a sign of a medical condition that may require treatment. The most common culprit is viral conjunctivitis, an infection of the outer surface of the eye or inner surface of the eyelids (conjunctiva). These eye booger causes include: 

• Viral conjunctivitis

• Bacterial conjunctivitis

• A foreign object stuck in the eye

• Chemicals on the eye (chemical conjunctivitis)

• Eyelid swelling (blepharitis)

• Herpes infection of the eye

• Fungal infection of the eye (fungal keratitis)

• Parasite infection of the eye (Acanthamoeba keratitis)

• Sores on the cornea (corneal ulcer)

• Eye injury

• Blocked tear duct (dacryocystitis)

• Bacterial infection of the eyelid (eyelid cellulitis)

The most serious of these conditions are bacterial conjunctivitis, fungal infections, parasite infections, corneal ulcers, eye injury, dacryocystitis, and cellulitis. Some of these have severe complications, and a few require immediate treatment. Most of these conditions, including the most serious ones, will have other symptoms. Many of these symptoms will be much more worrisome than eye discharge.

RELATED: What causes a stye? Diagnosis, prevention, and treatment

Should I be worried about eye boogers?

Normal eye discharge is cream-colored and fairly light. It may build up at night and leave crusts at the margins and inner corners of the eye. This is nothing to worry about. If there’s a known cause like allergies, contact lenses, or a stye, medical treatment may or may not be needed depending on other symptoms. If the excessive discharge doesn’t improve, then see a healthcare provider.

Serious causes of eye boogers may have complications, such as:

• Infections (due to stye, foreign objects, contact lenses, dry eye, or eye injury)

• Eyelid fistula (stye)

• Cornea problems

• Corneal scarring

• Corneal ulcers

• A hole in the cornea (called a corneal perforation)

• Iris disorders (due to Acanthamoeba keratitis)

• Scleritis

• Cataracts

• Increased eye pressure

• Glaucoma (due to infection)

• Tear duct damage

• Vision loss

• Permanent blindness

• Meningitis (due to tear duct blockage or infection)

• A life-threatening blood clot in the sinuses (due to tear duct blockage or infection)

• Death (due to tear duct blockage or infection)

Get medical help if eye boogers are unusual in any way. Normal eye boogers are cream-colored and usually thin in consistency, though they may thicken or dry out during sleep. Most people who wake up with eye boogers have a thin crust at the margins of their eye. But some types of eye discharge are abnormal:

• Lots of watery discharge may be a sign of a viral infection of the eye or of chemicals, irritants, or allergens on the eye's surface. Call a healthcare provider if there are other symptoms.

• Crusty eyes that persist throughout the day may be a sign of blepharitis or an infection. Get medical advice from a healthcare professional.

• Yellow mucus may indicate a stye or something more serious such as a bacterial infection or tear duct blockage. The eye boogers usually turn yellow because of pus. Sometimes, one or both eyes will be unable to open upon waking. That’s not a good sign, so call or visit a healthcare professional.

• Green discharge isn’t good—it’s usually a sign of a bacterial infection and should be evaluated by a doctor.

Pay particular attention to other symptoms. Call a healthcare professional for medical advice if there’s eye discharge accompanied by other symptoms that can’t be readily explained. Some symptoms can be clear signs that prompt medical care is needed:

• Blurred vision, vision loss, and other vision changes 

• Eye pain, particularly severe eye pain. 

• Swelling, especially if it is pronounced or surrounds the eye 

• Light sensitivity 

• Pupils in each eye are a different size

RELATED: What causes eye pain? Related conditions and treatments

How is the cause of eye boogers diagnosed?

A primary care provider, eye doctor, or other healthcare provider will start by looking for obvious causes such as a stye, dry eye, conjunctivitis, or eyelid swelling due to blocked oil glands. They will start with a medical history, a physical exam, and a close examination of the eye and eyelid. Tests and imaging are usually unnecessary. 

If a more serious cause is suspected, an eye doctor (ophthalmologist) is sometimes needed immediately. Many infections can be diagnosed based on the symptoms and an eye exam. More severe infections may require taking a sample of the discharge from the eye's surface to culture or examine under a microscope. 

Are eye boogers contagious?

If eye discharge is due to an eye infection, that infection is usually contagious. A few measures can help prevent its spread:

• Wash your hands regularly or use hand sanitizer

• Avoid touching the eyes

• Don’t reuse towels or tissues that have touched your face or eyes—towels should be washed first, and tissues should be thrown away

• Don’t let other people reuse towels or tissues that have touched your face or eyes

• Change pillowcases often

• Do not share eye care products or makeup

How long do eye boogers last?

Normal eye discharge is a regular part of everyday life. Abnormal eye discharge will persist for as long as its underlying cause.

How to stop eye boogers

Eye booger treatments vary depending on the cause. Everyday eye discharge doesn’t require treatment outside of good eye care. Eye boogers due to relatively harmless causes such as dry eye or allergies can be managed with home remedies and over-the-counter medications such as artificial tears or antihistamines. A stye may require treatment if symptoms warrant it, but home remedies like warm compresses, gentle eyelid massage, and eyelid wash are usually all that’s needed.

Infections may require medical treatment. Viral conjunctivitis usually improves on its own but may require eye drops to manage symptoms. Other infections require treatment and will be treated by prescription eye drops or oral drugs.

Some severe cases involving eye discharge, such as chronic dacryocystitis or fungal infections, may require surgery. 

Living with eye boogers

If eye boogers are a problem and there isn’t a serious eye condition at fault, they can be managed with a few simple home remedies and lifestyle changes:

• Use a washcloth moistened with warm water to remove the eye boogers rather than your fingers or hands

• Clean the eyelids and surrounding skin with a warm washcloth to remove bacteria—using baby shampoo or over-the-counter eyelid washes are more effective

• Use lubricating eye drops if there are problems with eye dryness

• Remove makeup at night

• Use a cold compress for pink eye—soak a washcloth in cool water for several minutes and apply it to the eye 

• Use warm compresses if there are problems with styes—the warmth can help express oil in the eyelid glands

RELATED: How to treat itchy eyes

What’s next? Additional resources for people with eye boogers

Test and diagnostics

• Conjunctivitis, StatPearls

• Corneal ulcer, StatPearls

• Stye, American Academy of Ophthalmology

Treatments

• Blepharitis treatments and medications, SingleCare

• Dacryocystitis, American Academy of Ophthalmology

• Fungal keratitis, StatPearls

• Pink eye treatments and medications, SingleCare

• Stye treatments and medications, SingleCare

Scientific studies and clinical trials

• Conjunctivitis: a systematic review, Journal of Ophthalmic & Vision Research