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What is the sleep humans find in the corner of their eyes after waking up?

Question #106909. Asked by star_gazer.
Last updated Feb 12 2022.

sequoianoir
Answer has 8 votes
sequoianoir
21 year member
2091 replies

Answer has 8 votes.
Nasal mucus or phlegm (also containing dust particles, etc.)

"Eye crusts" are the leftover protein and fat from tears which have seeped out during the night and have dried up.
Tears have three components, salty water (from the tear gland behind the upper outer corner of our eye), protein (secreted by the conjuctiva) which is the clear film that covers the eye and fat (from ducts in the eyelids.)

link https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna9814952


Response last updated by gtho4 on Feb 12 2022.
Dec 17 2003, 5:17 PM
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zbeckabee star
Answer has 11 votes
Currently Best Answer
zbeckabee star
Moderator
19 year member
11752 replies avatar

Answer has 11 votes.

Currently voted the best answer.
Rheum is a medical term for the natural mucus discharge from the eyes, commonly known as matter, sleepydust, sleepers, sleepies, sleepy men, sleepy seeds, eye boogers, eye gunk, eye goopy, gound, or legaña. The discharge forms a crust on the eyelids, or gathers in the corner of the eye during sleep (contrast to mucopurulent discharge). It is formed by a combination of mucus consisting of mucin discharged from the cornea or conjunctiva, tears, blood cells, skin cells from the eyelids, and dust.

link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rheum

People have given that “stuff” we get out of our eyes in the morning many different names. Some call it “matter”; others call it “sleep,” “sleepy,” “crusties,” or “eye boogers.” But whatever it is called, there is no denying that we all have it and would like to know what it is.

One of those organs was the plica (PLY-ka) semilunaris (sem-ee-LOO-ner-is), which is located around the eye. For many years, this organ was thought to have no function. But lo and behold, eventually it was discovered that this “useless” organ has an important function after all.

In fact, it is the “crusty” factory. It secretes a sticky mass that collects any foreign materials such as dust or pollen. All this trash is surrounded by the sticky gook so that it does not scratch the sensitive cornea in your eye. Once the garbage is collected, the plica semilunaris “escorts” it out of the eye just like a security guard would escort noisy troublemakers out of a theater.

link https://healthmagazine.ca/health/what-is-the-reason-for-the-pink-part-in-the-corner-of-the-eye-plica-semilunaris/
link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plica_semilunaris_of_the_conjunctiva



Response last updated by satguru on Jul 02 2021.
Jul 07 2009, 12:08 PM
Watchkeeper
Answer has 7 votes
Watchkeeper
18 year member
412 replies

Answer has 7 votes.
It's the magical sand the Sandman sprinkles:

"The grit or 'sleep' (rheum) in one's eyes upon waking is supposed to be the result of the Sandman's work the previous evening."

link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandman

(I really thought everyone knew this).

Jul 07 2009, 6:48 PM
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