Micro-science丨How is “eye boogers” formed?

Under normal circumstances, everyone's eyes will secrete a small amount of "eye mucus". The meibomian glands distributed in the human eye secrete oil to protect and moisturize the eyes. The secreted oil is mixed with dust and impurities that enter the eyes to form "eye mucus". In addition, during sleep, the eyes are closed, but they still secrete some substances, including tears, oil, and shed cells. These substances accumulate in the corners of the eyes, and after drying overnight, they will also form the "eye mucus" we see. Eye mucus formed due to normal physiological reasons is mostly transparent or light white, and the amount is small, which will not pose a threat to health.

Some pathological causes, such as conjunctivitis, keratitis and other eye diseases can also cause the accumulation of eye secretions, accompanied by eye discomfort such as pain, tearing, etc. If this happens, seek medical attention promptly, find out the cause, and carry out targeted treatment.