Do your eyelids feel heavy?

Heavy eyelids are not uncommon in dry eye sufferers. But what’s the connection?

When your meibomian glands are blocked with bands of scar tissue, your eyelids can become puffy and sore, feel tender and heavy. This is due to the accumulation of secretions within the lids, and it exacerbates your dry eye symptoms.

As a result of the thickened eyelids, there is increased rubbing of the eye with each blink, which itself is uncomfortable. The weight of the eyelid also contributes to the feeling of a foreign body sensation, and can lead to pain in the eyelid itself.

Meibomian gland probing clears these bands of scar tissue, unblocking the glands and allowing secretions to be released.