Dryness, irritation, excessive tearing, and aches are due to retraction
of the eyelids that do not close completely at night. Here are some
tips that may help relieve your discomfort:
*Use lubricating ointment (LacriLube, Refresh PM, Tears Renewed) at
night. You may also want to tape your eyes shut with first aid tape
for sensitive skin (3M – one inch or wider), or tie a silk scarf or
bandana around your head and cover your eyes. Saran wrap over the
eyes also keeps moisture in.
*Use artificial tears (Celluvisc, Tears Naturale, HypoTears) during
the day. Don’t use Clear Eyes for getting red out.
*Elevate your head with pillows, provided it doesn’t hurt your neck too
much. It can relieve the build of fluids and the puffiness in the eyelids.
*Tilt your bed (wooden blocks under the legs at the head of the bed will
make gravity work to your advantage).
*Wear tinted glasses for protection against the sun, wind, dust, and smoke.
It also helps you avoid those “staring” incidences from others.
*Take a warm steamy bath or a dip in a hot tub (moisture in the air).
*Use a humidifier in your bedroom to keep the air moist.
*Avoid drafts, i.e. ceiling fans, open windows.
*Use hot or cold compresses, whichever feels better.
*Use cucumber slices on closed eyes (cool & supposedly has enzymes that
soothe the eye, or try tofu, which is supposed to be soft, cool, and mushy.
*Make a conscious effort to blink, the more the better, the longer
the better.
*If you are a smoker, stopping will improve the appearance of your eyes,
minimize irritation, and decrease the likelihood of severe involvement.
Tobacco worsens the autoimmune attack for unknown reasons.
*Try to avoid stress (easier said than done), but stress is thought to
play a role in eye flare-ups, etc.
Wishing you relief and comfort, Debby
