You can experience discharge with dry eyes if your body produces tears that are less nourishing. Discharge can also be a symptom of an infection or other health conditions.

Dry eye is a common condition that affects the outer layers of the eye, called the ocular surface, and tear film. It happens when your tears don’t function properly or when you do not produce enough tears to nourish and moisturize your eyes.

Dry eye syndrome causes symptoms such as:

Read on to learn more about dry eye discharge, including causes and potential treatment.

Your tear film usually creates a protective barrier between the surface of your eye and your environment. This film is made up of a mix of oils, water, and mucus that are typically in balance.

Many factors can cause dry eye. For example, blepharitis causes your tears to evaporate too quickly, leading to dry eyes and excess oil that can cause mucus.

To compensate for dry eyes, your body may produce more tears. However, these tears are less effective because of the coexisting disruption in the oil layer.

As a result, the tear film becomes imbalanced, leading to discharge. This discharge often appears as watery or stringy mucus in or near your eyes.

An imbalanced tear film can also cause:

You may have eye mucus for other reasons, too. These can include:

When you blink, a thin layer of tear film spreads across the surface of your eye, helping make the eye’s surface smooth and moist so you can see clearly.

It also provides protection from infections and irritants, such as dirt and dust.

The tear film covers the cornea and consists of three layers:

  • The oily layer: The meibomian glands along the eyelids produce the superficial layer, which creates a smooth surface and prevents tears from evaporating too quickly.
  • The watery layer: The lacrimal glands in the eyelids produce the middle layer that nourishes the eye tissue, helps the eye retain moisture, and washes away foreign particles in order to keep the eye surface clean.
  • The mucus layer: The inner layer is made up of mucins, or glycoproteins, that are produced by conjunctival goblet cells. The conjunctiva produces mucus, which helps retain moisture and keep the tear film on the eye.

Dry eye discharge is composed mostly of mucus, oil, and various debris.

When your eyes are drier than usual, you may notice that the lack of water causes the mucus and oil to dry out and stick together.

This can cause a buildup of sticky or gritty discharge in the corners of your eyes.

Eye discharge helps clear dust and debris, keeping your tear film and ocular surface clean. Usually, with every blink, the tear film flushes the mucus away before it can harden.

It’s typical to have a small amount of discharge with dry eyes, especially after you sleep.

If you have a large amount of crusted green or yellow discharge or your eyelids are stuck shut, it could be a sign of an infection.

Mucus discharge with dry eyes can occur due to:

  • aqueous tear deficiency
  • infection
  • meibomian gland dysfunction
  • allergies
  • injury

To maintain eye health and improve comfort, it’s important to treat dry eye discharge, which may be mild to severe. Left untreated, severe dry eyes can cause damage to your cornea, which is the transparent outer layer at the front of your eye.

Dry eye treatment may depend on the cause of your symptoms.

Treatment could include medications and treating the underlying condition, such as allergies or an eye infection.

The following may help treat dry eye discharge:

If your dry eye discharge is severe, your doctor may suggest tear duct plugs, which help your eyes retain tears longer and prevent them from draining too quickly.

These tiny silicone or gel plugs, called punctal plugs, are inserted in your tear ducts.

Your doctor may recommend surgery to permanently seal your tear ducts.

In some cases, you may be able to reduce eye discharge from dry eyes at home with over-the-counter eye drops or artificial tears.

Some other approaches may help.

These can include:

  • applying a warm compress
  • reducing exposure to irritants, including pollution, chemical fumes, and cigarette smoke
  • avoiding wind, dust, and air conditioning
  • avoiding low humidity and using a humidifier
  • wearing protective eyewear outdoors
  • reducing screen time and taking frequent breaks during screen use
  • staying hydrated
  • getting enough sleep
  • wearing moisture goggles during sleep
  • using eyelid wipes, cleansers, and scrubs

Reach out to a doctor if your dry eye discharge symptoms do not improve with treatment or if your severe dry eye discharge is affecting your daily life.

An ophthalmologist, a doctor who specializes in the eyes, can perform a slit lamp exam to evaluate dry eye and other eye conditions.

They may check:

  • if your eyes are producing enough tears
  • how quickly your tears dry up
  • your eyelid structure
  • the quality and thickness of your tears

What causes dry crusty eyes?

You can have dry crusty eyes due to an imbalanced tear film, infection, allergies, or a blocked tear duct.

How do you fix dry crusty eyes?

Treating the cause of your dry eye discharge can help reduce symptoms. Treatment can involve eye drops, medication, and other therapies, depending on the specific cause.

What is dry crusty eye discharge?

Dry eye discharge contains mostly mucus, oil, and other debris. If caused by an infection, it may also contain bacteria.

Dry eye discharge is relatively common and usually occurs in small amounts. Often, it is due to an imbalance in the tear film, leading to rapid tear evaporation.

To retain eye moisture and prevent excess discharge, you might want to try a combination of prescription medications, over-the-counter treatments, and lifestyle changes.

Seek medical advice if your symptoms are severe, worsening, or do not improve with treatment.