One eye won't open upon waking up in the morning

Under normal circumstances, waking up in the morning with one eye unable to open may be caused by improper sleeping posture, eye fatigue, dry eye syndrome, conjunctivitis, myasthenia gravis, or other reasons. If discomfort occurs, it is recommended to seek medical attention promptly. Specific analyses are as follows:

1. Improper Sleeping Posture

Pressing on one side of the face during sleep, especially around the eye area, may cause temporary difficulty in opening that eye upon waking. In daily life, adjust your sleeping position and try to avoid prolonged pressure on the same cheek.

2. Eye Fatigue

Prolonged eye use causes excessive strain on the eye muscles, slows blood circulation, and leads to accumulation of metabolic waste, resulting in muscle fatigue that affects normal eyelid movement and may cause one eye to remain closed. It's important to ensure adequate rest and reduce extended periods of eye strain.

3. Dry Eye Syndrome

Dry eye syndrome results from insufficient tear production or excessive evaporation. Severe cases may lead to corneal epithelial damage, affecting vision and making it difficult to open the eyelids, thus causing the aforementioned symptoms. This condition may be accompanied by pain or a foreign body sensation. Treatment under a doctor’s guidance may include sodium hyaluronate eye drops, diquafosol sodium ophthalmic solution, or hydroxypropyl cellulose eye drops.

4. Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis is an inflammatory condition of the conjunctival tissue, often caused by bacterial or viral infections. Inflammation can lead to conjunctival congestion and swelling; in severe cases, eyelid adhesion may occur, making it difficult to open the eye. Symptoms may include tissue congestion and swelling. Patients should follow medical advice to use medications such as tobramycin eye drops, acyclovir eye drops, or erythromycin eye ointment.

5. Myasthenia Gravis

Immune system abnormalities, genetic factors, and environmental influences can all contribute to this condition. In myasthenia gravis, the immune system mistakenly attacks the neuromuscular junctions, impairing transmission of nerve impulses. This leads to weakened eye muscles, such as the orbicularis oculi muscle, causing one eye to remain closed. Symptoms may include blurred vision or double vision. Treatment under medical supervision may involve pyridostigmine bromide tablets, prednisone acetate tablets, or azathioprine tablets.

In daily life, it's important to maintain good eye habits, take regular breaks, avoid prolonged screen or book gazing, keep eyes clean, and prevent eye strain and infections.