What should you know about brown discharge from the eye?

A small amount of brown material on waking can be dried tears mixed with mucus or a trace of old blood after rubbing. Irritation, a blocked tear duct, contact lens problems, or conjunctivitis can also produce discharge. Allergic conjunctivitis more often causes itching and watery discharge, whereas infective conjunctivitis may cause sticky material and eyelids that cling together. The appearance alone cannot distinguish these causes. One eye being affected, repeated episodes, or a new change in an infant deserves particular attention.

Wash your hands before and after touching the eye. Gently wipe discharge with clean cotton or a clean damp cloth, using a fresh area for each wipe and not sharing towels. Avoid rubbing, eye makeup, and contact lenses until the eye is comfortable and a clinician has advised when to restart lenses. Do not use another person’s drops or old prescription medicine. Arrange review if discharge persists, returns, or is accompanied by increasing redness.

Seek same-day eye care for significant pain, light sensitivity, blurred or reduced vision, marked swelling, injury, chemical exposure, or a contact-lens-related red eye. Urgent assessment is also needed for severe headache with eye symptoms or a child who appears very unwell. Rapidly worsening redness or swelling around the eye should not wait for routine review.

Ask whether the discharge looks infectious or allergic, whether contact lenses should be stopped, which drops are suitable, and what change in vision or pain should trigger urgent review.