You can get OTC eyedrops for it with an antibiotic in that will clear it up easily. Ask for Chloamphenicol eye drops, the commercial one that is usually for sale is Optrex infected eye eye drops. I had it last year and these sorted it.
What's your technique? Once i had worked out to put the drop in the inner corner of the eye while looking up and out, it became easier. Don't tip your head back very far, pull the lower lid in and down in the inner corner of the eye to make a pouch to catch the drop then blink loads.
Yep sticky discharge, occasionally covering the iris (which makes looking in the mirror quite interesting)T
this morning no crust on the eyelid when wakening which was quite nice.
It's difficult for me to describe, but not really an itch as one has on skin but more of a "rub me" instruction and trying not to rub it is difficult