What should you know about clear discharge from eye?

A small amount of clear fluid at the inner corner can be normal, especially after sleep. Watery discharge may increase when the eye is exposed to wind, dust, smoke, screens, or an irritant. Allergic conjunctivitis often affects both eyes and may bring itching, watering, and puffy eyelids. Viral conjunctivitis can cause watering with redness and a gritty feeling, and it may spread between eyes or to close contacts. Thick yellow or green material is a different pattern and deserves medical advice, particularly if the eyelids stick together.

The appearance of discharge is only one clue. Pain, vision change, light sensitivity, contact-lens use, and injury change how urgently the eye should be assessed.

Wash your hands before and after touching the eye. Gently wipe discharge with clean damp cotton or a fresh clean cloth, moving from the inner corner outward, and do not reuse it between eyes. Avoid rubbing, eye makeup, and contact lenses while the eye is irritated. Preservative-free lubricating drops may soothe dryness; a pharmacist can help select an option. Do not use someone else’s drops or leftover antibiotic medicine, because the cause may not be bacterial and some products can worsen irritation.

Seek prompt medical assessment for moderate or severe eye pain, reduced or blurred vision that does not clear with blinking, marked light sensitivity, an injured eye, or symptoms after a chemical splash. Contact-lens wearers should seek advice for redness, pain, or discharge rather than waiting. Arrange a review if discharge persists, keeps returning, or is accompanied by pronounced swelling or fever.

Does this look more like allergy, irritation, or conjunctivitis? Should I stop contact lenses, and which drops are suitable? How should I reduce the chance of spreading it at home or work?