Tears while sleeping

[Nancy786]

Hi,
I am in my early 30's, female,i was told that my left eye does not close fully when i am sleeping hence i have sand like sensation while sleeping. There are some sleeps that i dont feel that but many other times its very irritating as during my sleep i will be wiping my eyes as tears roll into my ears and the other eye.upon waking i still feel that i did not have enough peaceful sleep and find my eyelids on the left eyes swollen which returns to normal after awhile.I have noticed that more when i am stressed or have used the computer for long. Is there any home cure please as i can not afford a doctor.my vision on the left has become weak as well.please help.I am suffering from this from years it seems to be getting worse now.

[Joan M Pernoud, MD]

It sounds like you have exposure keratitis where, after you have fallen asleep, the eyelid relaxes and allows a slit of opening of the eye...usually at the cornea level. Because you don't blink when you sleep, the area can dry out and cause irritative symptoms as you describe. The treatment is to use bland eye ointment before you retire at night. Your pharmacist can point one of these out for you. The best ones are preservative free. Your vision may be a little blurred in the AM but its mostly worn off by then.