Found some brilliant info on this forum for one of my dog's ear infection so thought I'd bite the bullet and write my first post to see what people could suggest for a problem I'm having with my other dog! She's a six year old GSD and for the past year she's had to put up with really sticky eyes - brown gunk in both corners of her eyes and stuck to the rim of her eyelid and lashes (pulling these out), and with stains running down her face. We've taken her to a couple of vets and she's had a few horrible tests to check her tear ducts etc. and the vet can't find anything wrong (tear duct blocked once only) and says I'm just to wipe her eyes with boiled water. I've been doing this morning and night and whenever her eyes are really bad but there never seems to be any improvement and it just seems awful for her to have to go through life like this. I thought it might be grass allergies but there's no difference winter or summer and piriton doesn't improve it. Anyone got any ideas on what it might be or how I can help her in any way? Any suggestions/advice will be much appreciated!
Thanks in advance.

> Any suggestions/advice will be much appreciated

Have a dog with blocked tear ducts. Manage to keep the eyes clear from infection by using eye bright (euphrasia), I've also been advised that used tea bags are good (obviously cooled, damp & no milk) but haven't tried as don't want staining to his mainly white face! Make up the solution with cooled boiled water & euphrasia, wipping the eyes three times + during the day to keep clean. 

Thanks Lacy - will try the euphrasia. Might try the tea bags too as don't have the problem of a white face - already a brown colour! Can't imagine having to keep a white dog clean!
Thanks again.

I'm told tea has mild antiseptic qualties, If you use euphraisa dilute four five drops into about half a cup of boiled water. I did ask if it can be kept for longer than a day - yes a couple - so I sterilie  a small bottle (colemans mustard) use 1/4 cup of water add 2 drops and seel.

Could it be entropion?

http://www.petwave.com/Dogs/Dog-Health-Center/Ear-and-Eye-Disorders/Entropion/Overview.aspx

I find that my dogs' eyes vary depending on the food they eat. I have one dog in particular which has food allergies. If he eats something that he is sensitive to, his eyes become really bad. If I stick to his usual diet, his eyes are clear. My other dog with food allergies is very similar.

So in your case, I would see whether a change of diet might be the answer.

I'd heard of ectropion where the eyelid turns out but not entropion and the symptoms seem to really match - I'll definitely ask my vet about this, thanks for pointing it out. Can't always assume the vet will think of these things during the consultation - especially when most seem to be a bit wary of German Shepherds and seem to rush you through the consultation, even when my two behave themselves!

I'd never thought about this, thanks for the post. She's on James Wellbeloved so it might be worth trying even just a different flavour first and then seeing where we are.
Thanks for all the help and suggestions everyone - feel like I'm a being a bit more proactive to help her now. Didn't really want to let her continue to suffer with it so am glad to have some directions to follow up on.

I wondered about that with my Yankee, he's 9.5 years old and for the past 6 months has intermittent gunky eye with a funny smell, not just the usual eye gunk. Vet prescribed cream which sorted, but it came back once cream was used up. Checked tear production and it was ok, slightly lower in the bad eye but still normal range. Tried to flush tear ducts but couldn't find them - due to have 'mottled' pink and brown skin on eyelid, I was told! Since then I've been keeping it under control with a bit of the eye cream every couple of days. Doesn't seem to bother him but it can't be right. I read on my cocker forum that they can develop entropion with age but the vet didn't seem to think that was a possibility. Not sure where to go next.

> I read on my cocker forum that they can develop entropion with age but the vet didn't seem to think that was a possibility. Not sure where to go next.

If you look at the link there are links to treatments etc and it describes a test your vet can do - I would ask for the test to be done even if the result is only to rule out entropion as a possible cause.

Ooh, thanks. If it comes back after this tube of cream is finished I shall definitely do that.

> Anyone got any ideas on what it might be

Just a thought, but has she scratched her eyelids at all recently? I ask because one of ours had a scratch on his lower eyelid once. Either he did it in the bushes or else it was a flying toenail from one of his friends. I cleaned it up and thought no more of it at the time. A few weeks later he began to get a similar discharge to your dog's. Our vet said that sometimes wounds can cause the skin to heal up a bit tighter than before causing the lashes to turn in a little and cause irritation. Acquired entropion in other words. 

I guess it's less likely though in your dog's case as it's in both eyes. Hope you get it sorted.