watery eyes

[mikesuchetka123@yahoo.com]

any one have watery eyes from cpap use? Any solutions?

[chunkyfrog]

Maybe they are watering as a reaction to drying?
Dry eyes are fairly common with airflow from mask leaks, also as we age.
When we wake up and open our eyes, the body tries to compensate.
I've also had the gush of tears as a response to allergy.
You may want to change a filter.

[mikesuchetka123@yahoo.com]

been using a nightime thick eye drop when sleeping,doesn't seem to be helping. maybe it is an age thing as i am 53. wondering if anyone else had the same trouble,and a possible solution.

[flutterby11]

My eyes water like crazy since I have started CPAP

[theoldone]

...and my nose drips constantly, too.

[Kate M]

any one have watery eyes from cpap use? Any solutions?

If nighttime eye gel doesn't help, then maybe wearing an eye mask for sleeping to protect your eyes from air flow or moisture-preserving goggles such as these "Tranquil Eyes" (I love these!) http://www.eyeeco.com/category/icategor ... ggles.html

might help

Alternatively, finding the cause maybe --- Are you having eye leaks from your mask? IS the vent blowing over your eyes? I have been having the same problem. My dry eye has been exacerbated since starting CPAP. Refresh PM http://www.refreshbrand.com/html/consumer/_prodPm.asp seems to help and I am back to using my eye drops (Systane Ultra http://www.systane.com/Dry-Eye-Drop.aspx ) during the day).

Blessings,

Kate

[jaybeem]

I have had watery eyes for months following cataract surgery and preceding CPAP. After starting CPAP, my eyes were tearing for hours and were bloodshot most of the day. I tried masks, but simply could not tolerate them along with the CPAP. A second opinion ophthalmologist diagnosed severe dry eyes. The "watery" tears were my eyes' attempt to compensate for the lack of the regular tears that normally lubricate your eyes. But because the watery kind are not the same as the lubricating kind, they don't help the dry eyes. The ophthalmologist prescribed Systane Balance for day and GenTeal Nighttime PM for night. My eyes were better, but still bloodshot. At the recommendation of a CPAPtalk member, I switched to GenTeal Severe Dry Eye Relief Gel. I especially like this variety because it is like a liquid gel and is not as "goopy" as the Nighttime PM. I used the GenTeal Severe Dry Eye Relief Gel every two hours and at bedtime. If I awakened in the night, I used it again. Now my eyes are no longer bloodshot, have stopped watering, and I am only using the gel twice a day and at bedtime.

While my condition was not from CPAP, CPAP was certainly exacerbating it..both from leaks and from bounce-back from the exhaust vent. It is certainly worth trying GenTeal Severe Dry Eye Relief Gel. I got mine at CVS.

[felinefanatic]

I have had a cpap machine for 5 years. Have always had watering eyes but lately it has gotten worse. I have asked my cpcp supplier and doctor about the problem. They claim ignorance! Saying it must be mask leakage. It is NOT mask leakage - it is blow back from the air release. Why can't they move the release down on the hosing section? When you begin sleep - you position the air release away from your eyes - but with sleep, you turn and the hosing with release section turns too. When you awaken your eyes are tearing and the air is facing toward you. I cannot see why the designers of these masks don't see it. I don't think any of the doctors or people who provide these machine have every worn any of these sleep devices. I have also tried sleep masks - they stop all oxygen from entering the eye - and again, you are adding yet another layer of gadgets to your face furthering the imprisoning effect. Why should we have to put goo in our eyes from the air release of their machines? Even if they designed a round shield that would redirect the released air downward that would be better too. It is a trial and error process to find the right mask and machine and discussions like this might help the manufacturers understand the problems their users are experiencing possibly leading to better designs to eliminate these nightly problems that we cpap users face every night.

[chunkyfrog]

I like the vent design on my P10 mask better than any other I've tried.
The vent cannot be too far "downwind", or there would be problems with carbon dioxide.
The goggles or drops are good things to try.

[Papit]

Ditto on the P10. It does seem to disperse exhaust air in a way that avoids an upward stream of air toward your eyes.

That said, though, watery eyes during the day that persists for months is a signal to go see your ophthalmologist. I'm glad I finally did. Chronic dry eye condition can have very serious consequences. There seems to be one particularly effective treatment, a prescription fluid drug. It's called Restasis. You apply the drops twice per day for at least three months. I've been using it since February and it really works. I have noticed no discomfort at all in using this. Check it out with your eye doctor.

[tuzacat]

+1 on the Restasis. I have been using it for several years for severe dry eye syndrome and have gone from complete misery to feeling almost normal. I do wear an eye mask at night which helps me to understand if I am having leakage or if it is the exhaust air. Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference depending on the mask.

[bdz]

I have had watery eyes for months following cataract surgery and preceding CPAP. After starting CPAP, my eyes were tearing for hours and were bloodshot most of the day. I tried masks, but simply could not tolerate them along with the CPAP. A second opinion ophthalmologist diagnosed severe dry eyes. The "watery" tears were my eyes' attempt to compensate for the lack of the regular tears that normally lubricate your eyes. But because the watery kind are not the same as the lubricating kind, they don't help the dry eyes. The ophthalmologist prescribed Systane Balance for day and GenTeal Nighttime PM for night. My eyes were better, but still bloodshot. At the recommendation of a CPAPtalk member, I switched to GenTeal Severe Dry Eye Relief Gel. I especially like this variety because it is like a liquid gel and is not as "goopy" as the Nighttime PM. I used the GenTeal Severe Dry Eye Relief Gel every two hours and at bedtime. If I awakened in the night, I used it again. Now my eyes are no longer bloodshot, have stopped watering, and I am only using the gel twice a day and at bedtime.

While my condition was not from CPAP, CPAP was certainly exacerbating it..both from leaks and from bounce-back from the exhaust vent. It is certainly worth trying GenTeal Severe Dry Eye Relief Gel. I got mine at CVS.

I got the GenTeal Severe Dry Eye Relief Gel and it is great. I carry in must purse the one less as strong as the Severe does my my eyes just a bit blurry for about 5 minutes. One day was all I needed to stop the burning and start to remove the redness. Thank you