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Eyelids stuck to eyeball at night

Posted by kathleenintexas @kathleenintexas, Mar 14, 2023

Woke up in the night five years ago and could not open my eyes without extreme pain. I massaged the eyes and that seemed to help. I would grope my way to the bathroom and splash water on them and that also would help so I could open them. Saw an ophthalmologist who prescribed eye drops. Began using saline drops before bedtime, but would still wake up with the eyes 'glued' shut. It is the eyelid sticking to the eyeball. The closest thing I could find when researching was corneal erosion. The massaging does not help anymore, so I keep the eye drops close to the bed and when I wake up in the night I use them so I can open my eyes. So, I am managing it, but still wondering what is going on and if anyone else has this condition.

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bb03 | @bb03 | Jul 12 6:23am
In reply to @SusanEllen66 "@covidstinks2023 no. It’s way more than dry eyes. When the doctor looked under my upper lid..." + (show)
@SusanEllen66

@covidstinks2023 no. It’s way more than dry eyes. When the doctor looked under my upper lid he knew right away what the problem was. My corneas, under my lids are very red, inflamed and sore. He explained that the inflammation caused my eyelids to become swollen and tight across my eyeball. So, every blink caused my lid to scratch my cornea. It was painful when it was flared up. He gave me non prescription contacts as “bandages”. When I wore them it gave me relief because they prevented the lids from touching the corneas when I blinked.
Now, years later I have dry eyes like everyone else. I understand the eye disease I had has gone away for now, however it can reappear at anytime.

Inflammation is the main problem I have in my entire body. It affects me in many ways and I’m sure this is just part of my problem.

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Here is what I do to control my extreme dry eyes. Warm compresses to eyes about 4 times per day or more. Systane hydration PF eye drops throughout the day. Before bed a warm eye compress followed by Systane eye ointment and in the middle of the night repeat compress and doesn't. I’ve tried prescription eye drops but didn’t help. I even tried Albumin eye drops expensive and didn’t work. . The only thing didn’t try was making an eye drop from my own blood using the serum part which is greasy, but my insurance doesn't cover it. I had multi focal lens replacement at 61 because I didn’t want glasses. I didn’t have cataracts. Since then I have extreme dry eyes. I also have allergies and MGD. They don’t tell you prior to surgery that it will make dry eyes over the top dry but they did take 10,700 dollars out of pocket! I still can’t drive at night due to extreme halos and I have a 30% opacity in left eye which they were suppose to catch and do laser if needed but funny they never talked about that. After the deadline of a year being covered, The opacity was found by a newbie Dr close to my house I went for a second opinion. I decided to seek another Dr. after one year because the Dr who did my surgery would not do the laser because a yr had passed and I’d have to pay out of pocket. . Dont know why after seeing him and then his partner regularly over the year for the extreme dry eyes and I was in a dry eye study and they didn’t catch the opacity. They tout they are the best but are overwhelmingly busy so they brushed it off. Now if I have the laser done I have to pay that out of pocket so I haven’t done it yet. Also I may have floaters. I also kept telling them my vision was blurry. Oh you will improve…. I didn’t. All said sometimes modern medicine doesn’t have the solution and you get the finger because you get blown off and you just have to do the best for yourself find what works best for you. Also don’t wait a whole year like me and go to another Dr and yes maybe a third. They are not all created equal.

REPLY
cantek | @cantek | Jul 13 2:09pm

Sjogrens?
For years, I work contacts and then all of a sudden I could not get them out of my eyes! I went to my optometrist and he referred me to an ophthalmologist, and I was tested for Sjogren’s by a rheumatologist.
I now have three autoimmune disorders so if I were, you would get an appointment right away with an ophthalmologist and a referral to a good rheumatologist.

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1 reply
samcal9977zz | @samcal9977zz | Jul 14 2:22pm

why saline?

why not artificial tears like Systane?

That is basically a lubricant...glycerine based.

My eyelids stuck to my eyes...all sorts of problems and symptoms.

Systane works.

Sometimes have to do it several times a day.

Also, sometimes have to use Visine.

But, between the two, it manages everything.

For me? Causes? Just have air conditioning air blowing right on my face (configuration of the small room I sleep in).

And, probably, I am not always up on hydrating enough (I mean not drinking enough water). Effect seems to be less if I hydrate more.

I have noticed it all getting worse since all the wildfire smoke in the air.

I also use an air filter. I assume it would be worse if I didn't.

Now, those are my issues. Maybe there are others, caused by other medical problems. But, for me, I don't think they are deeper than the air blowing on my face drying out my eyes...

best of luck...

REPLY
trishaanderson | @trishaanderson | Jul 15 6:39am
In reply to @cantek "Sjogrens? For years, I work contacts and then all of a sudden I could not get..." + (show)
@cantek

Sjogrens?
For years, I work contacts and then all of a sudden I could not get them out of my eyes! I went to my optometrist and he referred me to an ophthalmologist, and I was tested for Sjogren’s by a rheumatologist.
I now have three autoimmune disorders so if I were, you would get an appointment right away with an ophthalmologist and a referral to a good rheumatologist.

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Was the Rheumatologist able to help with your Sjogrens or just give you a diagnosis?

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