What is Nocturnal Lagophthalmos?Īnother variation of this condition is called Nocturnal Lagophthalmos, a condition that makes otherwise normal people unable to close their eyes while sleeping. As a reaction to the increased dryness, patients suffering from this condition generally experience excessive tear production ( watery eyes), and often feel as though they have a foreign body trapped in their eye. Patients with lagopthalmos will often suffer from dry eye syndrome, and are vulnerable to corneal abrasions. Some doctors believe that the incidence of lagophthalmos is on the rise, possibly due in part to the increasing prevalence of surgeries such as blepharoplasty, which can cause lagophthalmos (or exacerbate an existing case) if performed incorrectly.īlepharoplasty is performed in order to correct the appearance of droopy eyelids, whether for medical or cosmetic reasons, but if too much skin is removed from the eyelid, lagophthalmos can result. Bell’s palsy, a poorly understood form of facial palsy and frequent cause of lagophthalmos.Damage to any of the layers of tissue that comprise the eyelids.Möbius’ syndrome, a rare, congenital disease that frequently causes facial palsies.Graves’ disease and other related thyroid disease.Trauma-for example, a facial laceration or a blow to the head that fractures the base of the skull, or a punch in the jaw that fractures the mandible.The function of this nerve can be impaired by: The most common cause of lagophthalmos is a malfunction of the facial nerve (also known as the seventh cranial nerve), which controls the movement of both the muscles that raise the eyebrows and the ones that close the eyelids. Our practice serves patients from Sunnyvale, Los Altos, Mountain View, and Cupertino, California and surrounding communities.How long can you keep your eyes open without blinking?Īfter that, you can feel your eyes begin to dry out, and the urge to close them becomes overwhelming. Some people are unable to close their eyelids completely, however these people suffer from a condition known as lagophthalmos. Get the relief you seek - book your appointment today. The friendly staff at Silicon Valley Eye Physicians make it their mission to provide the highest quality care for their patients. Dry eye relief extends far beyond the options available at your local drugstore. If you’re experiencing dry eye symptoms of any kind, an eye exam at Silicon Valley Eye Physicians can help determine the underlying condition so that a tailor-made treatment plan can provide long-lasting relief. If left untreated, lagophthalmos can result in corneal damage. It’s best to first visit Our Dry Eye Experts to pinpoint the cause of your symptoms and try the least invasive and safest treatments before resorting to surgery. There are several ways to treat lagophthalmos, and sometimes surgery may be necessary. Medical procedures that can cause lagophthalmos include Botox injections and sutures near the eye. This is when the eyes can’t fully close due to medical treatment. Paralysis of the seventh cranial nerve can be caused by Bell’s palsy, tumors, or trauma. Paralytic lagophthalmos results from a paralyzed cranial nerve, thus preventing the eyelids from complete closure. The fatty tissue can deteriorate for several reasons, including the presence of an autoimmune disease. Less cushioning causes the eye to sink further into the socket, making it more difficult for the lids to completely close. One common cause of this type of lagophthalmos is a decrease in fatty tissue behind the eyeball. Nocturnal lagophthalmos occurs during sleep, so people with this condition may be unaware they have it. Colliding eyelashes or tasks that require a high level of focus (such as working on a computer) can contribute to blink lagophthalmos. An incomplete blink can lead to dry spots on the eye and other uncomfortable dry eye symptoms. ![]() When the eyelids don’t fully close during a blink, this is called “blink lagophthalmos.” Blinking keeps the eyes lubricated by spreading the tear film evenly along the eyes’ surface. Types of Lagophthalmos Blink Lagophthalmos
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