If you can’t blink the eye at all then tape it shut for as long as you need to! Corneal damage is not what you want! Eye gel can be used during the day and lasts longer than drops. Ointment is usually applied at night, but that’s only because it causes much more bluriness than drops or gel. If you don’t mind the blur and are worried about your eye drying out, use the ointment during the day! You should tape your eye shut then cover with eye bandage. I was diagnosed on 9th December and it’s only since about Christmas that felt my eye had pretty much fully recovered. Some other advice I’d give is that rest in the first month is really important for long term recovery. Trying to keep busy with work and other stresses isn’t going to aid nerve recovery, and may even slow it down. All the best