I have to GLUE my eyes open just to see and can’t blink – I thought it was hayfever but doctors say there’s no cure

A WOMAN is forced to instrumentality oregon glue her eyelids to support them unfastened and can't blink aft being struck by an ultra uncommon condition.

Tia-Leigh Streamer assumed she had hayfever erstwhile she awoke with a drooping eyelid successful May 2023 - but some her GP and doctors astatine Southampton infirmary were stumped by what could person caused it.

Then, December 2023, the terrified 20-year-old woke up incapable to unfastened either eye.

She was referred to a specialist, who said she whitethorn person a uncommon eyelid information called blepharospasm.

Doctors astatine Royal Bournemouth infirmary gave Tia-Leigh Botox injections successful her eyelids successful March 2024 and since she hasn't been capable to unfastened her eyes without the jabs.

When they deterioration disconnected aft a fewer weeks, the lone mode she tin spot is by taping and gluing her eyelids oregon holding her eyes unfastened with her hands.

Even erstwhile the Botox is effective, sunlight, car headlights and machine screens tin trigger Tia-Leigh's eyes to close.

Blepharospasm is simply a information wherever the muscles astir the eyelids make an involuntary spasm, causing the lids to twitch, flutter oregon blink uncontrollably.

In terrible cases, sufferers whitethorn beryllium incapable to unfastened their eyes owed to excessive eyelid spasms.

There's presently nary cure for the condition.

For the clip being, Tia-Leigh's doctors are trialling antithetic volumes of Botox successful her eyelids.

Tia-Leigh, from Wimborne Minster, Dorset, said: "I person the aforesaid level of show arsenic a visually impaired idiosyncratic but I've got thing incorrect with my eyesight.

"I cognize it's neurological but [doctors] don't cognize what causes it, which makes it worse for me, due to the fact that if they could accidental it's caused from this, I deliberation it would marque maine consciousness somewhat little successful the dark.

"To beryllium told I've got this for the remainder of my beingness and not cognize wherefore is simply a hard happening to woody with.

"I've not been coping precise well. I was prescribed antidepressants half-way done it. I didn't get on with them. I tried therapy, I've tried hypnotherapy but thing was helping.

"The longer it's gone connected I've gotten utilized to it but determination are inactive days wherever I get truly down astir it. Especially arsenic the Botox runs out.

"The much often I person it, astatine immoderate constituent my assemblage volition get utilized to the Botox and it won't enactment anymore.

"I person them done each 8 to 10 weeks astatine the moment. It was 12 weeks. But I lone get astir 3 to 5 weeks wherever it really takes immoderate effect.

"The remainder of the clip I person to physically clasp my eyelids unfastened to beryllium capable to spot anything.

"When I glue oregon portion them unfastened I can't blink astatine all. The doctors person said the longer I bash that for past I've got much accidental of really damaging my eyes and past perchance losing my sight, which I don't privation to do.

"I've really had bruises connected my eyelids from the portion before. It's hard due to the fact that I've either got nary show oregon 1 manus essentially."

Plans dashed

Tia-Leigh was grooming to go an accountant, but has had to halt moving due to the fact that of her information - ruining the plans she had for her life.

Tia-Leigh said: "I was grooming to beryllium an accountant and past arsenic soon arsenic I got sick I was fundamentally told that this was thing that I could ne'er bash due to the fact that of the machine screens.

"It was atrocious to beryllium honest, I had everything planned out. I was grooming to bash that and I was redeeming to determination retired and get joined and person children and it was each taken distant from me.

"It's the accent of it arsenic good that makes it worse. Anytime I'm truly stressed it volition marque my eyes closed and accounting, I recovered it truly stressful.

"I deliberation the main happening I conflict with is the state broadside of it. I can't beryllium autarkic arsenic overmuch anymore.

"If my eyes are closed I don't spell retired unless I tin get idiosyncratic to driblet maine somewhere.

"But I don't permission the location connected my ain oregon spell retired connected my ain due to the fact that I get excessively anxious not being capable to see. I'm fundamentally wrong astir of the time.

"It stops maine doing things I enjoy. I utilized to bash a batch of crocheting but you request to person 2 hands to bash that truthful I can't bash that adjacent erstwhile I'm astatine home.

"I can't spell down and marque my meal due to the fact that I've got 1 manus truthful I'm restricted to what I tin and can't make.

"It's past having to inquire my household to marque my meals, adjacent to the constituent wherever my mum has to chopped my nutrient up for me.

"It's similar I'm going backmost to being a kid again due to the fact that I can't usage a weapon and fork and spot what I'm doing."

'Trial and error'

She got joined successful December 2024 and had to clip her Botox injections to guarantee she could spot connected her wedding day.

Tia-Leigh said: "I wanted to marque definite that I had the Botox 2 weeks earlier my wedding due to the fact that it takes my eyes astir a week to unfastened aft I've had it done.

"It was a scary time and I deliberation that's 1 of the reasons that prompted america to get joined truthful quickly.

"I wanted to marque definite I was going to beryllium capable to get joined and beryllium capable to person my eyes unfastened to spot what's going on.

"It [having a baby] is thing that I interest astir and I often person nightmares astir it to beryllium honorable due to the fact that adjacent erstwhile I person Botox done, astatine night-time my eyes don't open.

"Night-time is the worst, they conscionable won't unfastened astatine all. I person nightmares astir a babe next to maine and it's crying and I can't aftermath my hubby up and I can't get astir to assistance due to the fact that of my eyes.

"I bash cognize present determination are things that tin beryllium enactment successful spot to assistance due to the fact that evidently radical who are unsighted each the clip inactive person children.

"After speaking to my doctor, it's going to beryllium a proceedings and mistake twelvemonth wherever he's going to alteration the measurement of the Botox successful the apical and bottommost lid of my eyes.

"He mightiness alteration somewhat wherever helium puts the injections and he's going to beryllium monitoring it and seeing however agelong it lasts.

"It's astir hoping he'll beryllium capable to find a amended equilibrium truthful we tin person immoderate longer effects retired of the Botox."