Can't keep eyes open but I am not tired!

[cherry0505]

for about 6 months, I started having difficulty keeping my right eye open and was squinted so badly and holding my eye open to try and drive. I went to several eye specialist and now I have a neurologists who takes care of my migraines but he thinks that have sleep apena. I am not tired and I do sleep to where I have no trouble sleeping> I just can't keep my eyes open and I have to make noises with my mouth or sing loudly to keep my eyes from shutting all the way down especially when I am driving.. I even walk and talk at work and home with my eyes completely shut. I am very scared of wrecking or hurting myself. I already hit my head by running into the corner of a walll. I even ran into a woman walking with my eyes shut. What is going on?? I don't think I have Benign Essential B.. eye problem either. spasms of the lids?!?? the eye told me!! Something is wrong. but what?

[JoeW04]

For lack of a better term, I will call what we all seem to be discussing as “Tired Eye Syndrome.” This is a condition in which the eyelid muscles rapidly become tired and lose the ability to open. After a rest period, the muscles regain the ability to function but often become extremely tired over a short period of time. The condition effects the ability to read, drive and function normally.

I have read the prior posts and have some updates and additional thoughts. Suggestions first:

- “Active eyetalk” is a glue type of cosmetic made for Japanese females who want to keep their eyes wide open. It is available on the internet. It did seem to help keep my eyes open to some extent. But I am a guy, and an old guy, so it doesn’t work well enough for me to go all metrosexual. However, it is definitely worth a try for those who are at work. Search “koji active eyetalk (waterproof type)” on Google.

- I have a 32” monitor for my laptop and prefer the large screen. However, I found that if I quit using it and use my 15” laptop screen I can function much longer and with less eye strain. If the computer screen is below eye level the eyes do not tire as quickly and I can function for much longer. Thanks to the neuro-ophthalmologist for the suggestion.

- I bought a Kindle and found that I can adjust the type size to suit me. It remains low in my lap while reading and I can function for much longer. If I stand up to watch TV I can watch for nearly an hour or so. Here again, the idea seems to be to keep things below eye level.

- I was checked by a neurologist for Myasthenia Gravis and that is not the problem.
- I have (had) dark brown eyes but they are much lighter now at age 74.
- I did have a sleep apnea study conducted in the lab several years ago and they found mild sleep apnea. No meds required. I doubt that apnea is the problem.
- There does seem to be a relationship to anxiety states. This is my area of expertise so I can give a fairly strong opinion here. Social conditions that lead to anxiety do aggravate the eyes.
-I tried acupuncture with four sessions. It did work during the session and for about 24 hours. However, by the fourth session, there was no effect. It did not work for me but there are some possibilities perhaps for others.
- I doubt the hypnotherapy will have any lasting effect. It is basically a muscle problem. To the extent that hypnosis reduces anxiety there might be some usefulness.
- Lately, I have been trying eyelid exercises: Opening my eyes as wide as possible about ten times and then repeating throughout the day. I seem to be having a little progress with these exercises. It is too soon to tell but it appears to be worth the effort.

[JoeW04]

Just found this on Amazon and wonder if anyone has tried it?
"Eye Magic Instant eye lift"

[Alllivesmatter]

I’m having the same problem and really I’m just getting tired of it. Just glad I’m not the only one that has this problem I would never wish this upon anyone. I’ve also noticed that it’s worse in the wind and I have contacts s o its very annoying.

[Jenni1972]

This is the best information I have found for what I am suffering continuously even after ophthalmologist, nuerologist, 4 MRI's, spinal tap and loads of pills issued for non sense by Nuerologist. I can't watch TV or drive and always want dark sunglasses on. Continued sensation of blinking trying to hold lids open. I'm 45 and it is only getting worse. I just want to know what is going on.

[JoeW04]

I have the problem described by many others. I was (now retired) a practicing psychologist and can provide a little insight. In my opinion, this is partially a neurological problem, similar to stuttering. It is aggravated by social and physical conditions but is none-the-less a real physiological problem. Eyelid surgery (stitching the tendon) was helpful in the one eye that had severe ptosis. That eye does not become tired as quickly as the other eye. Botox injections worked reasonably well. I discontinued Botox because I thought the eyelids might heal themselves over time. They did not heal.

Currently, my eyes get tired after about two hours of use and I need a ten minute rest period (with eyes closed) to regain the use of my eyes. Yes, it is aggravating to have to close my eyes for ten minutes every two hours but it is probably the single most effective treatment. Those of you at work should find a way to do this.

It is also interesting to note that distractions seem to work. For instance, if I am playing a game that requires concentration the eyes do not get tired. If I am dancing the eyes do not get tired and in fact, dancing seems to help them function better.

Red tinted, polarized sunglasses are helpful at all hours of the day, especially when using the computer and when driving. The FL 41 tinted (rose colored) glasses are helpful but not needed for this condition.

You too may find that various social conditions can alleviate the problem and this leads you to think it is in your mind. It is not, the condition is neurological. There are many neurological connections that could be the source of this problem. I have not found anything that will end the condition but there are a few ways (as indicated above) that can help you to address it.

[JoeW04]

A few things I forgot. I too suspect this is partially a TMJ problem to some extent. Chewing gum seems to help at times. Singing especially mouthing the words to a song helps.

I will try the apple cider trick to see if it works.

Oh, and I too find it difficult to discuss the issue with my physician. It seems there are no real solutions and social conditions can have an effect so one is always left wondering, how much is this just me. After a few years living with the problem I personally know it is not psychological but it can be affected by social conditions (as indicated above). Hope that helps.

[JoeW04]

I took  3 oz of  apple cider for three days. It did not help me and did lead to a burned throat. Be careful if you try this. It might be better to dilute with water before consuming.

I have found that opening your mouth as far as possible and moving the jaw left to right vigorously provides some relief.

Massaging with your finger tips just below the temples also provides some relief.

[JoeW04]

I saw a neurological opthamologist last week. She suggested artificial tears. I bought the preservative free type from Walgreens. They do seem to help a little. I now use 3x per day and find some relief from muscle pain. Other than that, she had no useful suggestions. Seems this problem stumps the medical professionals.

[Sara_MHModerator]

Has this condition improved for you?  An update would be much appreciated.  

[JoeW04]

I found another technique that may be of use to some people. A few weeks ago I found that they have special glasses to stop people from going snow blind. The glasses are opaque with a thin slit for seeing. I was not sure if they would help so I decided to make a pair rather than spend the money on expensive glasses. I took a pair of cheap, large amber sunglasses and used duct tape to mask off the lens leaving a 1/32 slit. The glasses work to some extent and can be used when your vision is bad. Here is a link where you can see the glasses used by Inuit people. Note that my glasses have a much thinner opening.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_goggles

[toshinobe]

In my case, the cause for unwanted closing eyes (want to go to sleep) is related to a TMJ syndrome (the effects from the muscle/nerve misalignment from the misaligned molars in biting which affects the muscle/nerve to the eyes (brain)) region.  I have had the red eyes and headaches and other various body muscle alignment problems from the imbalance of the jaw joint from the misaligned molar bites.  Most doctors do not understand the TMJ region affecting the entire body muscle/nerve from the misalignment.  The “lazy” eye syndrome is caused by the neck/shoulder/jaw affecting the nerve to the eyes.  The best solution is to exercise and being physically active and make sure the molars are properly bind when chewing (this requires a special dentist who knows how to take care of this problem properly; not all dentist know about this problem; in fact, my dentists worsened my situation over the years).  When you go see a dentist for a treatment, ask this question, will the teeth work worsen the bite balance (teeth, muscles, jaw joint, neck/shoulder muscles, body alignment, etc.)? The muscle stimulation of your body causes the localized nerve to forget the problem on a temporary basis while you exercise or physically active.  The inactivity of the eye to the jaw muscles/nerve is the problem.  My TMJ treatment has been on going for the last 8 years although the TMJ problem has been worsening over the entire life span of 73.  The next five years will tell if the stability of the jaw will finally remove the muscle/nerve stigma from my daily living style.  I hope sharing my case helps you with your problem.  God bless all of you who are going through with a similar situation.    

[ChrisBirdsong]

Do you mean that you can't keep the lid up, or that you feel so sleepy that your eyes close? If it is that you cannot keep the lids of that can be a symptom of a very serious condition called myasthenia gravis, a neurological disorder that has many other symptoms. It always occurs in both eyelids (and other parts of the body.) Speak to your doctor about this. Good luck.