What is Eye Jelly?

[Mr Slappy]

I keep getting little blobs of white "jelly" in the corner of my eyes. What on earth is it?

[nannon]

its just sleep isnt it?? and it can go black if you wear mascara or eyeliner. its just goo!

[Se7en]

I was waiting patiently for a sensible answer, in case it was serious condition.

I was gonna say ...it same as eye candy except wobbly

[Mr Slappy]

OK. But what's the goo made of?

(Oh, I don't wear mascara or eyeliner, but I'll bear it in mind...)

[Quizmonster]

There isn't a current technical/medical name for this partly-solidified mucus that lubricates the eyelid's movement over the eyeball during sleep. In polite English circles, it is usually just called 'sleep', as in: "You've still got some sleep in your eye." (Many families have their own childlike names for it, such as �sleep dust', �dream dust' etc. Others use 'gunge', 'gunk', 'crust' or whatever.) It has some imaginative names in other countries. In Denmark, it is called �sleepy seeds' and in Scotland, �sleepy willies'. (Yes, I realise the latter could be misinterpreted!)
However, there are two now-obsolete English words for this substance listed in the OED. One is a 15th century word, �gound', based on the Old English word �gund' meaning pus. The OED defines it as " foul matter, especially that secreted in the eye". The other is a 17th century word, �gowl', probably based on the Old Norse word �gulr', meaning yellow. The OED defines it as "a gummy secretion in the eye".
Sadly, they have both now vanished, but it is just possible that you might hear a very old person, speaking in their dialect, still making use of them.

[morg_monster]

I thought it was just partly dried out tears that collect in the corner of your eye while you're asleep? And the longer they are there the drier they get, eventually going crusty, just leaving the salts behind? not 100% sure though. But your tear ducts are connect to your nostrils, maybe its snot backing up... (just kidding!)

[bonzi!]

they're called eye bogeys, its just like the mucus in your nose, it collects dust etc, protecting your eyes.

[peagreen]

do you wear contact lenses?

its just "sleep" and probably some corneal cells but its nothing to worry about...if you're concerned tho i'd suggest seeing your optiican/GP