Eye red in morning

[345medhelpFAN]

Around May/June 2006 I was getting some flaking skin around my left eyelid.  Somedays it looked ok, other days more noticable.  Then around August I noticed in the morning that my left eye was relatively bloodshot every morning.  The right was a little bit bloodshot, but not as much.  Then it seemed to be bloodshot during the day so I made an appt.

I went to the eye doctor and he said it was eye allergy, and gave me Lotemax.  It cleared it up in a few days.  However it seemed to return, but not as bad as the first time.  I went back, saw a different eye doc and she put me on Patonel.  She also said I had an eye allergy, she said i have small little bumps on the inside of my eyelids, caused by allergy.

The Patonel sort of works in my opinion.  After 30 days I went for a follow up and she said my eyes were a better, and there were less bumps and to keep using Patonel.  

My only concern is that for the first 20 minutes after I wake up my left eye mainly, is bloodshot, then it clears before I even put in the patonel after my shower.

I don't have have any bloodshot look during the day anymore.  And sometime around October, I did not notice any more flaking of skin.  The eye doc says up close she can still see a little flaking however.

So things are a bit better in the sense that I don't see any visible flaking around the eyelid.  My eye(s) are not bloodshot during the day, but i still wake up with the bloodshot look.

Any thoughts?

[Forum-OD-MP]

the 'flaking skin' around your eyelid and the red eye in the morning are likely unrelated.

if you are not a contact lens wearer, then whatever you are experiencing is likely not dangerous.  one of the 1st things that came to my mind is lagophthalmos, or incomplete left eyelid closure while sleeping.  that would cause the symptoms you describe (redness only upon wakening)...

[aimee37]

If that is the case, what can be done, or what might be some causes?  I read somewhere that poor sleep could be a factor, and that would make some sense.  I am a relatively healthy 29 year old, I want to prevent any long term complications.  Thanks

[aimee37]

if you had lagophthalmos, the options are:

taping eyelid shut at night

ointment use before bed to prevent corneal dessication

sometimes surgical procedures depending on severity

[aimee37]

it just seemed to start suddenly back in August, I will follow up with my OD