Waking Up with Gunk on Your Eyelids

Quick answer: A little eye gunk on waking is completely normal, just your eye's natural cleaning collecting overnight while you don't blink. Excess or changing crust, especially with pain, redness, or eyes stuck shut, can signal dry eye, blepharitis, or conjunctivitis and is worth an exam.

What is eye gunk?

Eye gunk forms from the eye's natural lubrication clearing dirt from its surface. While awake, blinking keeps this moving; while you sleep, it collects in the corner of the eye and along the lashes. It can be crusty, clear, yellow, thick, or thin, and is usually normal.

When eyelid gunk could mean something more

• Dry eye: poor-quality tears make the eye water and can leave excess gunk along the lids.
• Blepharitis: inflammation at the lid edges causing flaky crust where the lashes grow. See also itchy eyelid causes.
• Conjunctivitis: infection or allergy affecting the conjunctiva.

See an eye doctor if discharge increases or changes color, or comes with eye pain, redness or swelling, blurred vision, light sensitivity, or eyes stuck shut in the morning.

How to clean it safely

Don't use your fingers, skin bacteria can cause infection. Use a clean face cloth soaked in warm water (rinse well between eyes), or a cotton ball with eye wash or dedicated eye wipes. An infection in one eye transfers easily to the other with poor hygiene.

Concerned about eye gunk? See West Boca Eye Center

At West Boca Eye Center in Boca Raton, Dr. Brent Bellotte and our team will assess your eyes and advise what, if anything, is needed. Explore our dry eye and allergy care.