We’ve all been there – you wake up in the morning, rub your eyes and are greeted with a small, hard lump in the corner of your eye. You pick it out and dispose of it, thinking nothing more of it. But what if we told you that those little lumps of gunk, commonly known as eye boogers, are actually good for you?
Here are four surprising benefits of eye boogers that you probably didn’t know about:
They protect your eyes
Eye boogers form when the oily substance that coats your eyeballs mixes with dust or other particles in the air. This mixture then hardens and becomes stuck in the corner of your eye. While it might not sound very glamorous, this sticky substance actually serves an important purpose – it helps to keep dust and other particles out of your eyes.
They keep your eyes moist
The oil that is secreted by the glands in your eyelids helps to keep your eyes lubricated and prevents them from drying out. If you didn’t have this oily substance, your eyes would quickly become dry and irritated.
They fight bacteria
The sticky consistency of eye boogers also helps to trap bacteria and other harmful microorganisms that could potentially cause an infection. So, in a way, eye boogers are actually protecting you from illness.
They’re a sign of good health
If you have a healthy diet and lifestyle, it’s likely that your eye boogers will be white or pale in color. On the other hand, if you’re not getting enough sleep or you’re not eating a balanced diet, your eye boogers may be darker in color. So, if you’re concerned about the color of your eye boogers, it might be a good idea to take a closer look at your lifestyle.
While they might not be the most glamorous things in the world, eye boogers actually serve an important purpose. So, the next time you find one in the corner of your eye, don’t be so quick to dispose of it – it might be doing you more good than you realize!
