What Does Eye Discharge Mean?

No one wants to have eye discharge unless it’s happy tears. But eye discharge is something we all have to live with. When is eye discharge cause for concern or a trip to your eye doctor in Wellington, FL? Here’s a breakdown of what eye discharge can mean.

Normal Eye Discharge
The eyes normally discharge certain substances, which everyone can relate to. This includes the crusty discharge you sometimes find in the corner of your eyes after waking up. This discharge combines mucus, oil, skin cells, and other things. It’s completely harmless and nothing to worry about.

Abnormal Eye Discharge
The problems come with abnormal discharge. You may find that you have abnormal eye discharge if you become sick with a heavy cold, get conjunctivitis or another eye infection. Some common features of abnormal discharge are:

Excess Discharge
People sometimes get watery, runny eyes with a heavy cold. As the cold dissipates, the discharge should also wane. If it doesn’t, you may have picked up an eye infection, which needs to be treated by your eye doctor.

Odd Colors
Abnormal eye discharge is often oddly colored. You might find that it’s green, yellow or gray. This strongly indicates an infection that could be conjunctivitis or something else. Again, a visit to your eye doctor is warranted.

Heavy Consistency
Another sign of abnormal eye discharge is a heavy, thick consistency. If it’s thick, sticky, or excessively crusty, you may have an eye infection or a blocked tear duct.

Secondary Symptoms
When the eye discharge is problematic, you may have secondary symptoms that can include:

redness
puffy eyes
painful eyes
“scratchy” eyes
sensation of sand in the eyes
blurry vision
Don’t ignore eye discharge unless it fits the description of normal eye discharge as described above. Book an eye exam in Wellington, FL to diagnose and treat the reason for your eye discharge.