I thought I was the only person who had this issue! I've done that SO many times. My eyes don't close completely either due to surgeries (I won't bore you with the details; but it was eyelid surgery too; pm me if interested) and I know the pain you're going through.

My docs at UCSF did a procedure on my eyes last year - basically they debrided my corneas - yup, scraped them on purpose. It actually helped clear up my vision, but one thing they showed me to help heal my corneas faster was to tape the eyes shut at night. The small clear Breathe Rite strips are the perfect size - this is what they use in the hospital! and they work. No more scraped corneas for me. Yes, it looks weird, but my eyes appreciate the extra care.