Eye issues and sleep

[PSUtuna]

Hello, I am three months post op. I have searched to see if anyone has had this problem, but was unable to find anything. My facial function has improved, but I am still having problems with my eye. At night I have been sleeping with a bubble patch with a dark patch over that. My eye would be open during the night (according to my wife) but I was sleeping through it. Since getting off all medications I have not been sleeping well at night. It is a very restless sleep and I am aware that I wake every few hours. I would like to add that I had a CSF leak, staph infection, and chemical meningitis that led to another surgery to remove the infected tissue. I was sent home with a PICC line and was on antibiotics, heprin, and pain killers until the week after Christmas. While all this was going on, I had no trouble sleeping. I am able to close my eye on my own, but it opens on its own and I think that is what is waking me at night. Maybe? Anyone else have this issue? Any thoughts? I have tried to tape the eye shut at night without good results. Maybe I am not taping it correctly, but the tape doesn't seem to hold. Any suggestions would be appropriated! Thanks!

[researcher]

You should see an eye doctor at some point to make sure that your cornea isn't getting scratched. My eye doctor wanted to sew part of my eyelid. It's called a  "Tarsorrhaphy is a rare procedure in which the eyelids are partially sewn together to narrow the opening." However, I didn't have it done.

This is what I did instead.

https://www.dryeyeshop.com/eyeeco-tranquileyes-onyix-quartz-eyeseals-c122.aspx

I bought the clear lens goggles. They helped me at night. You could also wear the goggles during the day! The instructions tell you how to put a little water in them to give moisture to your open eye. You can cover the eye that won't stay closed with the clear googles and something to block out the light at night. That's what I did. I just couldn't tape my eye shut. Kinda freaked me out.

Or just keep using your dark eye patch with lots of eye goo.

You could have the individual vials of eye drops like "Blink" to use when you wake up during the night. Also have the gooey medicine (don't remember the name) available too. Hopefully, your eye will stay closed at night soon.

I know this is so scary and annoying and you have been through so much already. The fact that your face is moving more and you are able to close your eye are both excellent signs. Your facial nerve still needs more time to repair itself. My facial nerve was much better at 5 and 6 months out. I look nearly normal now and started at HB6-full paralysis.

Take care,
Researcher

[Patti]

I have tried it all over the years with not much success.  The tape never worked.  The bubble worked but was expensive and left sticky tape marks on my face.  I accidentally found my solution.  I started using thick eyedrops and at night my eyes would "glue" together and stay shut (most of the time). I also had a little bit of my eyelids sewn together (not obvious).  I had a gold weight implanted in my upper eyelid to help with closure.  The eye remains my "issue" but it seems to be working well.  My opthomologist (sp?) is always amazed at how good my cornea looks.  I have had cornea abrasions in the early years but all seems to be working well now.  The drops that work best are called Celluvisc.  Good luck to you! 

[PSUtuna]

Thanks! I can't seem to get the tape to work either. I tried again last night, but woke up with an open eye looking into tape. I really don't want to screw up my cornea with tape. The bubble patch I have works well to keep my eye moist. It is the elastic band type, so no adhesive stuck to my face. I really think it is my eye opening on its own that is waking me. I just purchased refresh Optive Advance on reviews I had seen on various forums. They seem to make my vision blurry, but if I put the bubble patch on I get eye relief.

I know I am still healing and it will get better with time, but I would really like to get a good nights sleep!

[LakeErie]

No advice from me, but I started facial weakness mid last week and 2nd day on steroids my right eye would not stay closed. I could blink and close my eye effortlessly, but it just kept opening every few seconds. I have the entire story in anther recent post, but, I simply used my fist to lean my eye on to hold the lid down and after a few hours of sleep, I was able to maintain eye closure. You are the first case I have heard of like mine. Lots of problems closing the eye, but not any cases of the eye won't stay closed. Now that I said that, the stories will probably emerge. Sorry to hear your predicament, I am calling my GK doctor's office tomorrow morning to ask for an explanation or any tips on what to do if it recurs.
Good luck

[JLR]

Hello Refresh PM non preservative works very very well. It has a much higher % of mineral oil than the other ointments. Believe me I have tried them all. At night I put on a square of Saran Wrap over my eye. Of course to keep it place you will need a lot of Vaseline along the edges to hold in place. It works! Joan

[madelynbeltz]

I've taped my eye shut for 30 years.  Works fine after you do it for awhile and learn what works.

I use 1-inch wide 3M micropore tape.
I first wipe the skin off with a moist washcloth and wait a few (3-5) seconds for it to dry.
Then I anchor the top on my eyebrow and try to hold down the eyelid as you bring the tape down over the eyelid.  (It may take a spouse to help get the eyelid down at first.  I have the advantage of having had the tongue operation that can help the eyelid go down.  But I taped the eye--without anyone helping me--for two years without that advantage.  So it is possible.)

After about thirty years, I decided to tape it horizontally instead of vertically.  That worked well.  It may be even easier.

I found out Systane Gel worked even better for me than LacriLube for keeping my eye moist overnight.

[Kristena]

I used Glad Press n Seal. It's similar to Saran Wrap but slightly sticky on one side, yet it can be easily removed without damaging your skin or eyelashes. Cut a small square or rectangle. After inserting your nighttime drops or gel, press the top of the square to your eyelid, then pull your eyelid shut and press the bottom of the square to your upper cheek. Stays shut as long as you want!

If you don't care for it, you can still use it to seal your leftovers! 

[Joe_L]

I have had great results by taping the eye shut when I go to bed, after removing my BFS scleral lens. The blue 3M Nexcare "sensitive skin" tape is the only one I use. It sticks just as well as the regular kind, but after using it every day for a couple of years, I don't have any sensitivity issues after removing the tape. The white tape would cause skin problems after a single use. I apply 5-6 drops of Similasan Dry Eye Relief before taping.
My wife actually tapes it. I do a terrible job at it myself.