There are two possible reasons as to why your eyes may be sticky and inflamed. One is that you have contracted a case of conjunctivitis or 'pink eye'. This is a highly contagious infection of the eyes that can last for a few days or up to a week. While not dangerous, the symptoms of pink eye such as watery or sticky eyes, itching and pain can be unpleasant and prevent normal functioning. If you suspect you have conjunctivitis, consult with your doctor at the earliest. He will most likely prescribe eye drops that you need to apply once or twice a day to prevent the infection from escalating. Keep your eyes clean and wash your hands regularly with soap and warm water as well.
If the symptoms you describe i.e. watery, itchy eyes are a regular or recurrent feature, you may be suffering from an allergy. Eye allergies or ocular allergies cause annoying symptoms such as swollen eyelids, burning and pain that may even affect your eyesight temporarily. If your usual self-care techniques such as cold compresses or eye drops are not providing any relief it would be best to consult with your health care practitioner or an allergy specialist to try and get to the root of the problem and treat it.
Such allergies are generally brought on by low immunity and the inability of the body to fight off an infection. Allergies may be seasonal – that occurs at certain times of the year and is usually caused by allergens in the air such as pollen or weeds. Perennial allergies are the other type of allergy and can occur throughout the year. Exposure to dust, animal fur, perfume, certain chemicals or pollutants and even certain medications may cause these types of allergies. Your doctor will help decipher the cause of your eye allergy and accordingly prescribe the treatment. In most cases, over-the-counter products such as eye washes or eye drops help flush out the infection within a few days.
Antihistamines or decongestants may help to relieve allergy symptoms such as watery eyes and inflammation. NSAIDS may also be used to treat eye allergies but these should be used as per your doctor's recommendations. Certain drugs such as oral antihistamines can make you sleepy, so care should be taken not to drive or operate any heavy machinery while taking these.
answered by G M