What is sleep in your eyes?

Actually, my ophthalmologist explained this to me last year when I went for a dry eye checkup. It is called rheum, which is a mix of mucus, skin cells, and oils. The doctor said it is a healthy defense mechanism to protect our eyes, but if it turns yellow or green, that could mean an infection.

In our daily life, we gather a lot of dust and strain in our eyes. This sleep, or kichar as we call it, is just the body releasing that toxins. I always do jal neti and wash my eyes with cool water every morning to help clear it naturally.

It is just natural buildup from the night. Usually, a simple splash of lukewarm water in the morning works wonders to clear it. But please see an eye doctor if you also have swelling, redness, or if the discharge feels too sticky and painful.

Please don't take it lightly if the crusting is too much. I ignored watery eyes and constant crusty sleep for weeks thinking it was just dust, and it turned out to be a severe corneal infection. Get it checked by an eye specialist if it feels even slightly abnormal.

It's just the ocular discharge that collects when blinking stops during sleep. Interestingly, my sleep tracker app showed I had very poor sleep quality on days I woke up with extra dry eyes. Staying hydrated before bed helps keep the eye moisture balanced.