Pink Eye or Make up Residue?

I have been suffering from a mild cold the last week and half, and I have been stocking up on Vitamin C. I have no time to be sick, so I am taking the medication necessary and trying to get enough sleep so that my cold will go away soon! I think I am reaching the last few stages of my cold, because I am coughing more, which means the unhealthy mucus is getting out of my system. However, I awoke this morning to a very scary symptom.

When I woke up this morning, I discovered that I could not physically open my eyelids, because my eyelashes were cemented together with substance. This reminded me immediately of the well known infection pink-eye, or conjunctivities, which I contracted in fifth grade. However, I soon realized that it was just my usual "morning eye boogies" but in a surplus. My mother said I was overreacting, but I wasn't convinced that I was exempt from having gotten this painful eye infection again.

I did some online research and looked up the symptoms of conjunctivitis. It said that pink-eye, or conjunctivitis, usually has the following symptoms:

- red eyes

- swollen, red eyelids

- feeling as if there is a foreign substance in the eye

- an itching or burning feeling

- mild sensitivity to light

- drainage from the eye

I realized shortly that my eye redness quickly faded after using some over the counter eye drops, and the mucus drainage from my eye was normal. I also realized I had been so sleepy the night before I had forgotten to take off my eye make up, which probably caused the surplus and "eye boogies" as I so delightfully call them. 

This short-lived but important experience taught me that it is important to know the symptoms before diagnosing yourself. And if you aren't completely sure, it is the best to notify your doctor, because it is better to go to a doctor and have them tell you that you are healthy rather than to not see anyone and find out you are unhealthy when it is too late! Pink eye isn't serious, but it is easily transmitted and it isn't fun, and I am sure glad I don't have it.