◆ normal people also have “eye droppings”
When normal people get up in the morning or wash their faces in the morning, they will find a very small amount of secretion at the corners of their eyes, which is related to the reduced eyelid movement, reduced tear secretion and delayed discharge when they sleep at night. The eye secretion of normal people mainly comes from lacrimal gland, meibomian gland, mucus secreted by eye surface cells and shed eye surface epithelial cells. Most of them are transparent or light white, which is not easy to detect. Due to the small amount of secretions, they can be discharged from the lacrimal duct in time and will not cause eye discomfort.
When some diseases occur in the eyes, the quantity or character of eye secretions will change. Usually, people will feel a series of discomfort when they observe the obvious increase of secretions, such as difficulty in opening eyes in the morning and blurred vision.
At this time, in addition to the above contents, the secretion will contain more exfoliated tissue cells, inflammatory cells, vascular exudates, pathogens, etc.
◆ there are five types of abnormal secretions.
According to the viscosity, color and other properties of secretions, they can be divided into watery, viscous, mucopurulent, purulent and bloody secretions. Secretions of different properties can help us preliminarily judge the general nature of eye diseases so as to take corresponding treatment measures.
1. Watery secretion
It is a thin and slightly viscous water like liquid. The increase of this secretion often indicates viral keratoconjunctivitis, early lacrimal duct obstruction, foreign bodies on the surface of the eye, minor trauma, etc. Children may have epicanthus and trichiasis due to incomplete development of nasal bridge bone, which often causes eye irritation and increases aqueous secretion. If the eyelid position of the elderly is abnormal, such as entropion and ectropion, it will also cause the increase of watery secretion.
2. Viscous secretion
It often appears in patients with dry eye and acute allergic conjunctivitis. It often presents as a thick white filamentous substance, which is very similar to the properties of commonly used glue. Patients may also have foreign body sensation, eye itching and other symptoms. Especially in children with allergic conjunctivitis, when they wake up in the morning, children often say that they can pull silk out of their eyes, which is often sticky secretion.
Mucopurulent secretions are thick and slightly yellowish substances. If such secretions increase, the possibility of chronic allergic conjunctivitis and trachoma should be considered.
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