How to prevent dry eyes for people who sleep with their eyes open, lagophthalmos

Sleeping with your eyes open is genetic condition. At a young age, there is enough moisture on the surface of the eyes to prevent dryness and its associated symptoms. As you get older, eyes naturally get drier and dry eye symptoms may occur.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Refresh PM ointment
• Refresh Plus drops

1. Use Allergan's Refresh PM ointment every night. The ointment coats and clings to the surface of the eye to prevent dryness and tissue dessication of the cornea.
2. Wash hands with soap and water.
3. Hold the ointment tube in your dominant hand.
4. In front of a mirror, pull down the lower eyelid with non-dominant hand.
5. Squeeze ~ 1 inch ribbon of ointment into the inside of the lower eyelid pocket, also known as the lower cul de sac. Exercise caution as not to scratch your cornea or surface of the eyeball with the tip of the tube.
6. Let go of the lower eyelid.
7. Repeat above steps for the other eye. Do not switch hands. Use the dominant hand to apply the ointment.
8. Close both eyes and gently massage the eyelids to spread the ointment around underneath the eyelids. Your body temperature will "melt" the ointment and coat the surface of the eye.

Tips & Warnings

• If you do experience dry eye symptoms during the day, use non-preserved dry eye drops such as Refresh Plus as needed.
• Do not use the Refresh PM ointment during the daytime. The ointment will blur your vision. Use Refresh PM ointment JUST before bedtime.
• If dryness of the eyes persist, be sure to see an eye doctor. The eye doctor may recommend "eyelid weight tapes" to use at night.