Hi Everyone,
My eyes have been really dry lately. The eye doctor said it's most likely from sleeping with my eyes cracked open. He suggested a brand of eye drops, and said some people tape their eyes shut at night.
At this point, I cannot imagin taping my eyes shut. Does anyone have any suggestions? Has anyone gone through this, or know someone that has? I'm coping now by putting drops in my eyes around the clock. Thought that'd be enough, but it's not.
Thanks for your help!
N.
i don't have this condition, but when i was searching for a sinus relief heat mask on amazon this past week, the following product popped up in the search. it is a dry eye compress. only 26 reviews, but mostly positive:
http://www.amazon.com/Thermalon-24342-Dry-Eye-Compress/dp...
maybe using something like this would help?
I would try a sleep mask. That's what we used on our dd when she would sleep with her eyes partially open.
When I was pregnant with my first I had Bell's Palsy. It's a viral infection that effects the facial muscles. I could feel the left side of my face, but I couldn't move anything. It was very weird.
I didn't have any trouble keeping my eyes moist, as my eye just kept watering. It is very common for people to not be able to shut their eye all the way, especially when sleep.
The doctor in the ER as well as my own OB and every doctor I have talked to about it since then mentioned taping my eye shut.
Do not be afraid to do it. I did it the first night. My husband did it for me with some scotch tape (I would not use duct tape). The next morning he ever so gently removed it. If it were to hurt at all, I probably would have just taken it off in the shower.
It's really worth a try. Dry eyes are not something I would want to mess with. I thought the sleep mask was a great idea. You could definitely try it. Just keep in mind that taping your eyes shut at night comes highly recommended by many doctors.
Systane GEL drops. My husband uses the tape sometimes too. It works.
I often sleep with my eyes open. I have scared so many people throughout my life with this quirky trait. Some of my former roommates from my college days totally lost it when they first saw me sleep with my eyes open. My husband also freaked out the first time he saw me do that. I wear a sleep mask at night when I notice that I have been sleeping with my eyes open. I have noticed that I do it more often when I am stressed, or worried about something, or close to my monthly cycle. I hate waking up with dry eyes. I would recommend keeping a journal of when you wake up with dry eyes, and maybe rank the dryness on a scale of 1-5. Then look to see how your days were when your eyes felt worse. The mask really works for me. So does pampering myself when I feel more stressed by taking a little longer bath, or meditating, or doing yoga. I try not to watch tv, read, or use the computer before bedtime during those extra dry times. Hope you are seeing better soon.
If I were you, I'd get the kind of tape that they put on hair that easily comes off, or have the doctor give you the kind that they put on surgical patients to keep their eyes closed, and I'd USE IT. Your eyes NEED to stay closed while you are asleep. Please try it. You'll be asleep. Surely it's not that bad - it's gotta be better than having to put drops in your eyes around the clock!
Dawn
The two best things you do in that situation are taping the lids or you could try a bland ointment (can find in a pharmacy) that you put in your lower lid. You just don't want to use the ointment until right before you go to bed or your vision will be blurry. I would try the taping or ointment because if you're getting good coverage at night, it might also help you be less dry for the day time.
Also, if you are using drops around the clock, make sure you are using something preservative free because it's less irritating to the eyes.
I hope you feel better!
I am sorry you are having this issue. I hope you find something that works for you. I have always slept with my eye slightly open. When we were first married, my husband thought I was awake and would talk to me and be surprised the next morning when I had no idea what he was talking about. Hahaha. My whole family (except my mom) sleeps with their eyes partially opened. Never had this issue.
I would try a sleep mask before I would try tape.
N.,
Here is a link on more natural methods to helping you wih your dry eyes, http://www.womentowomen.com/understandyourbody/symptoms/d...
After you read the information and feel you need to speak with someone you can trust, I'm here. Respond to my post and we can go from there.
No, you don't have to tape your eyes shut. :)
I've had dry eyes all my adult life and it is because I sleep with my eyes open. I've not found anything that helps except to use the drops to moisten my eyes. One doctor suggested using an ointment on my eyes at night but that was uncomfortable and didn't seem to help much either. I've just gotten used to the situation over time.
I've never thought of taping my eyes shut. I think that is just too much.
My aunt had this problem and an ophthalmologist put plugs in some of her tear ducts. That seemed to help. If you haven't already seen an ophthalmologist you could see if he would have more ideas.
a distant relative in her 30's has this, it's to the point everytime she blinks she is scratching her cornea, she has tried surgery to implant tiny little plugs in her tear ducts, and i know she has tried a gajillion eye drops some she has even had an allergic reaction too. so she is miserable.
I"m wondering if you might need a specialist, I guess every case is diff but your dr seems to be treating this lightly.
