Will my blink come back?

Many facial palsies recover over weeks to months. The eye care mission is keeping the cornea healthy until the lid works again.

What does a scleral lens do here?

It vaults the cornea and holds sterile saline against it all day — a liquid bandage that replaces what the missing blink can’t do.

Is this only for Bell’s palsy?

No — any facial nerve weakness, surgical or traumatic, creates the same exposure problem and the same solutions.

Can you close your eye with Bell's palsy?

Not always: difficulty closing one eyelid is a symptom of Bell's palsy. The condition affects the facial nerve, which runs the muscles of facial expression, eyelid included, so the lid may close with less force and fail to seal. That incomplete closure, called lagophthalmos, leaves the eye dry and open to debris and injury, especially during sleep. Start protecting the eye right away, and call for a same-day visit, or go to an emergency room when we're closed, if it becomes painful or your vision changes.

How do I protect my eye at night with Bell's palsy?

Put a lubricating gel or ointment in the eye at bedtime, then tape the lid closed or wear moisture goggles that hold humidity around the eye; by day, use artificial tears often. When a lid cannot close, lubrication and protection keep the eye moist and shielded from debris and injury, especially during sleep. If you wake with pain, new redness or blurred vision in that eye, call for a same-day visit (an emergency room when we're closed); an exposed cornea can break down quickly.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Bijan Cohenmehr, OD Last reviewed October 24, 2026

Bell’s Palsy and the Eye

The eye that can’t blink needs a bodyguard.

Bell’s palsy and other facial nerve problems can weaken the eyelid on one side: the blink loses force, the lid doesn’t seal in sleep, and air dries the cornea hour after hour. Protecting that eye — immediately and well — is what prevents lasting damage.

Book appointmentOr call 310-828-2010 Accepted insurance

The risk: Exposure keratopathy, corneal damage
Early care: Lubricants, taping, moisture
Definitive: Scleral lenses as a fluid shield
Also: Custom lenses for lasting palsies

Protect the eye now if

One lid won’t close fully, even gently
Morning pain, burning or blur in the affected eye
Redness concentrated in the lower part of the eye
Tearing that runs down the cheek but doesn’t relieve dryness

Why urgency matters

The cornea breaks down fast when exposed. Early protection — ointment, moisture goggles, taping at night — buys time; a scleral lens can then shield the eye all day with a bath of saline.

Scleral lenses →

The plan

From first week to long term.

Immediately: thick lubricants by day, ointment and lid taping or moisture chambers at night
Ongoing: monitor the cornea for erosion and infection while the nerve recovers
Persistent palsy: custom scleral lenses; Dr. Brandon Cohenmehr is particularly passionate about treating ocular symptoms of Bell’s palsy and facial palsies with custom-designed specialty lenses
Co-management with your neurologist or surgeon when lid procedures are considered

Exposure is urgent

Pain or vision change in the exposed eye? Same day.

Corneal breakdown from exposure can escalate quickly
Same-day appointments are available
We coordinate with your other physicians

Call 310-828-2010

Common questions

Bell’s palsy, answered.

Anything else, call the office at 310-828-2010.

Many facial palsies recover over weeks to months. The eye care mission is keeping the cornea healthy until the lid works again.
It vaults the cornea and holds sterile saline against it all day — a liquid bandage that replaces what the missing blink can’t do.
No — any facial nerve weakness, surgical or traumatic, creates the same exposure problem and the same solutions.
Not always: difficulty closing one eyelid is a symptom of Bell's palsy. The condition affects the facial nerve, which runs the muscles of facial expression, eyelid included, so the lid may close with less force and fail to seal. That incomplete closure, called lagophthalmos, leaves the eye dry and open to debris and injury, especially during sleep. Start protecting the eye right away, and call for a same-day visit, or go to an emergency room when we're closed, if it becomes painful or your vision changes.
Put a lubricating gel or ointment in the eye at bedtime, then tape the lid closed or wear moisture goggles that hold humidity around the eye; by day, use artificial tears often. When a lid cannot close, lubrication and protection keep the eye moist and shielded from debris and injury, especially during sleep. If you wake with pain, new redness or blurred vision in that eye, call for a same-day visit (an emergency room when we're closed); an exposed cornea can break down quickly.

Articles

By Dr. Brandon Cohenmehr, OD

Also consider

Next step

Protect the exposed eye now.

Call our eye clinic in Los Angeles; early protection is the whole game in facial palsy.

Call 310-828-2010 Or book online