[neilep (OP)]

Hi Everybody,

Often , when I awake (after miraculously falling to sleep)...I sometimes have  some gritty stuff in the corners of my eyes, I think it's the tear ducts...what is it ?..and why does it appear there ?

Thanks for your eye wateringly crystal clear answers

Neily

'Men are the same as women...just inside out !'

[roberth]

I reckon it's the crap that builds up in your eyes during the day. I've noticed that I have a lot less since I've been wearing glasses.

[Ians Daddy]

My boys and I call them "eye-boogers" and I've always known them to be called that. I believe the reason is because that's exactly what they are...just like Rob said. Eye excretion mixed with the daily collected funk.

Just a thought.

[neilep (OP)]

Thanks Roberth, Thanks Ronnie....now I know thanks to you guys.....I might start collecting my 'eye crust' like I do with my belly button fluff !!..err...maybe not !

'Men are the same as women...just inside out !'

[bezoar]

The grandson calls it eye trash.  I just always thought that it was dried tears, being as the tears are salty.

[OmnipotentOne]

Ummmm....actually however disturbing it may be your eye sheds, so that "stuff" is the remnants of your eyeball.

And I think the circular thing by your nose in the corner of your eye lid was from when you were in your mommys tummy, it use to be a clear shield to keep water out, similar like frogs have.  Vistigous? some V word.

To see a world in a grain of sand.

[neilep (OP)]

quote:Originally posted by OmnipotentOne

Ummmm....actually however disturbing it may be your eye sheds, so that "stuff" is the remnants of your eyeball.

And I think the circular thing by your nose in the corner of your eye lid was from when you were in your mommys tummy, it use to be a clear shield to keep water out, similar like frogs have.  Vistigous? some V word.

To see a world in a grain of sand.

That's very interesting Omnipotent One....so, the circular thing by your nose in the corner of your eye lid is like the remnants of a secondary eye lid....cool !! Spock has one !!...(now I'm revealing what a true Trekkie saddy I am)

'Men are the same as women...just inside out !'

[chris]

The gunk that accumulates in your eyes at night (often referred to as 'sleep') is a mixture of proteins (including mucus, lysozyme and antibodies), salts, cell debris, dead bugs and other foreign matter that has got into the eyes during the day.

The non-cellular components all derive from tears. When we are awake the lacrimal gland (situated above the upper outer edge of the eye) continuously secretes tears into the eye to lubricate the eyeball and to help wash out foreign bodies and infecting organisms. Blinking (which lasts a quarter of a second and which the average person does about once every 3 seconds) helps to spread tears (and the secretions of other tiny glands which line edge of the eyelids) over the eye surface.

Tears drain from the eye via 2 small 'puncta' at the edge of the eye adjacent to the nose. If you look in a mirror these resemble 2 small black dots on the eyelids. The puncta connect to the lacrimal duct which opens into the nose. That's why people sometimes suggest blowing your nose to help dislodge a foreign body in the eye because nose-blowing causes a reflux of tears back into the eye from the lacrimal sac. It also explains the urge to blow your nose when you cry.

Another benefit of tears draining into the nose is that viruses and bacteria washed out of the eyes can be 'presented' to the immune system at specialised sites in the back of the nose (the adenoids) and throat (the tonsils). It's also more convenient than having tears streaming down your face all day !

But when we go to sleep, gravity and blinking are removed from the equation, so tears drain less efficiently. Tear production also slows down. These factors encourage components of the tear film to glue together forming the crusty deposits you have to rub away when you first wake up, 'bleary eyed'.

C

"I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception"
 - Groucho Marx

[neilep (OP)]

WOW !!..nice one Chris !!..of course, I knew that all along[]...but one encouraging thing for me then is that when I have 'eye grit, it's probably because I've had some sleep....yippee !!!..thanks for the incisive answer.

'Men are the same as women...just inside out !'

[hames4u]

hi,
the gritty stuff which colleted at ur corner of ur eyes basically the dust and the soots wchich goes in ur eyes at the previous day means at previous evening, and as u know the eyes continuously moves for the short while at every 2 hrs at night, and the peculiar motion and the secretion of the lacrimal deposit over that material. so feel the gritting sensation at the corner of ur eyes.
and also the fact is the lacrimal secretion flow frm outside corner to inside corner of ur eys, u mostly get this sensation at the inner corner ur eyes.

[sprite190582]

I always thought it was fairy dust left over from when the fairy’s come and put you to sleep at night! (giggle…..giggle)

Alex

[neilep (OP)]

You mean it's NOT fairy dust ?..(whimper..shattered dreams mode !!)

'Men are the same as women...just inside out !'

[betsie]

I always new it as "Sleepy Dust". But hey thats the child in me!

[bezoar]

What about the sand man?

[Monox D. I-Fly]

Wow... My native language (Javanese) has a word for those: blobok. Is cataract also formed by that thing?

[Janus]

Wow... My native language (Javanese) has a word for those: blobok. Is cataract also formed by that thing?

Growing up my mom called it "rapka" (sp?).   I'm not sure if that was a proper Finnish word or Finglish.

[Karen W.]

Neil, great question!
Chris seriously great explanation!
 Bezoar...Im with you I was quite sure it was the sandman doing his dream dancing on my eyes...lol....Sand from Sleepyland Sandman.... hee hee hee