Eyes sticky can't see but not conjunctivitis??

[DeFluffy]

Hello

My eye (left one currently) feels all gooey and I can't see properly unless I keep blinking. Its a bit like someone has smeared Vasoline over my eye. If you pull the bottom eyelid down in the line there you can see cream deposits (gross sorry) that you can 'hoik' out with your finger.

I have had this several times before. Usually in goes to both eyes and I can't read say the SKY guide on the tv or type on the pc. I've been to the drs but they say its not conjunctivitis as my eyes aren't red or itchy or painful. They tested for bacterial conjunct I think but it came back negative. It seems to start when I've spent a couple of days at the pc screen or sewing but how could that make the gunk in my eyes?!

Any ideas welcome I hate not being able to see properly!!

The fluid in your eye - tears - is a viscous saline solution. It's kept 'fresh' if you like by blinking and creating tears. If you stare at a screen for long periods of time then your eyes become irritated because you're not blinking enough and you're not refreshing the tears. Could be that the fluid is drying out and leaving a more 'gooey' result at the same time. Could be the tear duct getting a little blocked with gunk.

You're lucky if it isn't conjunctivitis However, to help the problem, consciously blink more when using your screen or when sewing & take a rest break every 20 - 30 minutes. Spend time in the fresh air rather than a dry/dusty home. Consider humidifying your environment for the same reason. And also invest in a bottle of OTC eye drops... the kinds for contact lens wearers and people with hayfever would do the trick. Good luck

Thank you chil, Yesterday it got worse and worse, and the eye went red. This morning the eye had to be peeled apart (nice!)

Tried some optrex last night which seemed to help a little bit.

If it is conjunctivitis why do I keep getting it? I don't know anyone with it or is it not catchable? I hardly ever wear make up and haven't last two weeks.

Now it feels slightly better this morning maybe because I've only just turned pc on? If thats it I'm buggered, I spend 10 hours a day on the laptop for work

Could it be hay fever or some kind of allergic reaction? When I was younger and my hay fever was worse it was pretty much as you describe.

But I think chil is probably right -- when you are concentrating on close work you aren't blinking enough and/or keeping your eyes moist enough. Make a point of taking rest breaks away from the screen and using eye drops.

Professor, could be, have never thought of hayfever, will go back to dr i think to see what they say again. Both eyes feel sort of gritty today.

Last night I grabbed a mirror and you could actually see 'gunk' floating across the pupil, I swiped it out and it was stringy gunk, tmi sorry

Maybe I'm just gross

I get this with hay fever. Long white stringy mucus in my eyes. I literally have to soak my eyes open in the morning.
My Dr. said the white mucus is usually caused by allergies or dry eyes. If you're eyes aren't itchy it's probably more likely to be dry eyes as chil said.

Hayfever, dust, pet fur, dry air... all of these can trigger irritation. Once the inside of the eyelid becomes inflamed it becomes 'rough' and rubs the eyeball all night long when you have your eyes closed asleep. Hence why there's a lot of gunk floating about in the morning, normally.

If the inner rim of your lower eyelids or the whites of your eyes are red & inflamed you can buy OTC Optrex 'for infected eyes' from your local pharmacy. 'Chloramphenicol' is the active ingredient and it only used to be available on prescription. It's very effective and - as a contact lens wearer for whom eye infections are an occupational hazard - I tend to keep a bottle in the fridge (has to be kept cold) for emergencies.

I get this exact same thing Defluffy. I think it probably is from staring at the screen and not blinking enough because I usually get it when I have a crazy deadline at work and I'm sat in front of the computer for days. It totally freaks me out, especially the stringy mucus stuff, and poor vision but neither my GP nor my optician can see any actual problem.

Thanks Chil, I've always wondered why my itchy eyes wake me in the middle of the night as how can the pollen get into them when my eyes are closed. It's the darn pollen that's already attacked them.

Try the infected eyes Optrex... it's excellent. Apply according to the instructions in the packet and see your doctor again if you get repeated attacks.