Most eye discharge is harmless. However, eye discharge can also be caused by infections and serious eye disorders. Whatever the cause, eye discharge must be cleaned properly.
Eye discharge is something that is natural if it appears in small amounts. However, if it is not cleaned properly, eye discharge can cause eye problems that were not previously problematic.
In addition, eye discharge can also arise if the eye has a disease, such as an infection. If in this condition eye discharge is not cleaned properly, the disease will get worse and difficult to heal.
Causes of Eye Dirt
Normal eye discharge is a combination of mucus, oil, and dead skin cells that builds up in the corners of the eyes. Eye discharge can also form as an eye protection mechanism against foreign objects such as dust, sand, soil, gravel debris, and metal fragments that enter the eye.
In addition, eye discharge can also be caused by several diseases, such as infections, allergies, irritation, or dry eyes. Eye discharge that arises due to disease will usually be much more numerous and thicker so it is very disturbing.
If the eye discharge has accumulated, the eyes will feel itchy and crusty, uncomfortable, painful, difficult to open when waking up, and reddened. If it starts with an infection, the germs that cause it can spread and worsen the eye condition. In fact, the accumulation of eye discharge can also interfere with the cornea and vision.
How to Clean Eye Dirt Safely
Every time you clean your eyes, wash your hands first. After that, compress the eye that contains dirt with cotton or a clean cloth that has been soaked in warm water. Let stand for a few minutes until the eye wax feels soft, then sweep the eye wax gently and slowly in a direction away from the center of the eye until it is completely clean.
If the appearance of eye discharge is accompanied by other complaints, such as itchy eyes, swollen eyes, or slightly blurred vision, it is advisable to consult a doctor. Your doctor may give you eye medication, such as antibiotic ointment or eye drops to help with your symptoms.
Even though you've been given medicine, it doesn't mean you don't need to clean the eye discharge that keeps coming out. Instead, you need to clean it regularly so that the medicine can work better and you can recover faster.
In addition, to help the recovery process and prevent complaints from getting worse, there are several other things that you need to pay attention to in cleaning eye discharge. Here are some of them:
- Don't touch your eyes when your hands are dirty or you haven't washed your hands.
- Avoid using cosmetics around the eyes for a while so as not to irritate the eyes.
- Stop using contact lenses and switch to glasses for vision assistance until the complaints are completely gone.
- Do not wipe, press the eye, or touch the eyeball with anything other than a clean, wet cotton swab to prevent your eye condition from getting worse.
Eye discharge is generally nothing to worry about because it is a natural response in protecting the eyes from harmful objects. Eye discharge can also be cleaned yourself at home in a simple way.
However, you are advised to consult a doctor if the discharge is accompanied by other symptoms such as lumpy or gritty eyes, pain, blurred vision, watery eyes, and swollen eyes.