# What's the word for the eye wax **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 2, 2006, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-the-eye-wax/371167 "2006-09-02T04:38:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EverLearner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8491ac/32.png) [@EverLearner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EverLearner)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-the-eye-wax/371167/1 "2006-09-02T04:38:39Z")
The wax in your ear is called earwax. But what do you call the wax in your eyes when you wake up? ---
**Author:** ![nivlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-the-eye-wax/371167/2 "2006-09-02T04:49:09Z")
eye crud, that’s what I call it. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-the-eye-wax/371167/3 "2006-09-02T05:00:59Z")
I omce sent Cecil Himself a question about this. I believe they;re called Eye Boogers (thank you Opus!). ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-the-eye-wax/371167/4 "2006-09-02T05:01:46Z")
My family has always called it “sleep”. I’ve also heard it called “eye boogers”. Not sure what the medical name would be. And, from my experience, it’s not at all the consistency of wax. If it’s fresh, it’s kinda slimy. When dried, it forms a crust. It might just be dried eye mucus for the most part, but I’d like to hear a Dr. chime in… ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-the-eye-wax/371167/5 "2006-09-02T05:02:57Z")
I omce sent Cecil Himself a question about this. I believe they’re called Eye Boogers (thank you Opus!). ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-the-eye-wax/371167/6 "2006-09-02T05:04:09Z")
Shall I triple-post? Damn hamsters ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-the-eye-wax/371167/7 "2006-09-02T05:06:20Z")
> [@Mr Bus Guy](#): > > Shall I triple-post? > > Damn hamsters Yay! I’m the meat in a **Mr Bus Guy** sandwich. … That sounds horrible. ---
**Author:** ![ChicanoRojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@ChicanoRojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChicanoRojo)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-the-eye-wax/371167/8 "2006-09-02T07:19:10Z")
> [@EverLearner](#): > > The wax in your ear is called earwax. But what do you call the wax in your eyes when you wake up? For what is worth, in Spanish they are called _lagaña_. It’s one of those words that appear in trivia books stating that this is a Spanish word that has no translation in English. …and, yes, it does come when spanish-speakers ask about it. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-the-eye-wax/371167/9 "2006-09-02T13:07:52Z")
Sleep sand. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-the-eye-wax/371167/10 "2006-09-02T13:34:10Z")
Eye funk. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-the-eye-wax/371167/11 "2006-09-02T16:21:34Z")
Dream dung. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-the-eye-wax/371167/12 "2006-09-02T16:26:00Z")
I believe the technical term would be [rheum](http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/rheumy)? I know I have read old men described as “rheumy eyed”, and I would think that it would extend to the discharge sometimes found when a person of any age wakes up. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-the-eye-wax/371167/13 "2006-09-02T16:27:35Z")
Adding, I would think it qualifies as rheum, especially considering that sometimes the muscus is drier than others. ---
**Author:** ![Wonder\_Woman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/82dd89/32.png) [@Wonder\_Woman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wonder_Woman)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-the-eye-wax/371167/14 "2006-09-02T16:28:41Z")
sand ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-the-eye-wax/371167/15 "2006-09-02T20:03:31Z")
> [@EverLearner](#): > > The wax in your ear is called earwax. But what do you call the wax in your eyes when you wake up? **Sand!** That which was left by the sandman. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-the-eye-wax/371167/16 "2006-09-02T20:46:25Z")
> [@EverLearner](#): > > what do you call the wax in your eyes when you wake up? FWIW, I don’t think it’s actually wax-like. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-the-eye-wax/371167/17 "2006-09-02T20:51:36Z")
I call it eye snot. ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-the-eye-wax/371167/18 "2006-09-02T21:46:40Z")
And I’ve always heard it called _matter_, from my brother the doc. ---
**Author:** ![Fetchund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b2d939/32.png) [@Fetchund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fetchund)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-the-eye-wax/371167/19 "2006-09-03T02:15:02Z")
Eye goobers. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-the-eye-wax/371167/20 "2006-09-03T02:17:40Z")
An overachieving pearl necklace. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-the-eye-wax/371167.md?page=2)