What are Eye Boogers?

I have always wondered what exactly was going on in the corners of my eyes in the morning. I really hate when I clean them out and this string of goop comes with it. What is this and why does it happen?

Turns out the proper name for eye booger is Rheum. It is a thin mucus that is naturally discharged from the eyes when we sleep. You get "crusties" when it dries. This stuff is made up of mucus discharged from the cornea or conjunctiva from the eye, tears, skin cells, and dust. Rheum can also be seen in the nose and mouth after sleep.

This is produced all the time, but is washed away naturally with tears when you blink. This can't happen when you are sleeping because you are not blinking, so that is why you get crusty eye boogers when you wake up!

The process is not useless, it traps dirt, dust, eyelashes, etc...and coats them in this mucus so it won't scratch your eye...what a great thing to have!

Producing eye boogers is very natural, it happens even in healthy people and children. However, if one morning you wake up and there is a large amount of eye boogers or pus, you could have a serious eye infection.

Sorry to ruin the fun of anyone who thought the sandman came at night but...that is science for you!