Okay, this is really scaring me. Just sitting here at work and felt like my left eye was swelling. I went to the bathroom and the whole left corner of my left eye is purple - on the outside of my eye. Looks like I have been in a fight. I have been having problems with my eyes since being on cpap. Has this ever happened to anyone else.

eye problems are usually caused by air leaking from top of mask, it seems some sleep with eyes partly open

air may perhaps be blown wrong way along the tear ducts if the usual one way flap is missing
perhaps you could experiment by covering the affected eye with a large piece of tape before sleep

other eye problems come from sleeping with eyes open and rubbing eye on pillow

Raggedykat, how long have you been on xPAP therapy? I know that I used to have much more problems with my eyes before (and when I first started) therapy. It might be Floppy Eyelid Syndrome. However, that might just be in males. I'm not sure. If it's swollen, I think harry33 has a point with possibility of the air coming through the sinuses and out of the tear duct. Definitely tell your doctor about it.

Is your mask actually pressing on your eye maybe?

Addition: My eye problems (mostly dry, crusty and irritated) have abated with therapy, and my eyelids are definitely more taught (read the info in the link I sent you).

Raggedykat, I have often thought what a large number of questions have never been able to be adequately answered on this forum, which have related to what an ENT doc would probably be best positioned to answer. Obviously, with pressured air being pushed through our noses, and all the ear/nose/eyes/throat caveties being connected in our head--there would clearly be some repurcussions. I don't think anyone here has ever explained or offered solutions to marked saddlebags under the eyes, clearly experienced as a direct result of cpap by many users here. I have recurring roaring behind my eardrums which appears to be unique, and related perhaps to TMJ and jaw position. I have had periodic tears rolling down my cheeks for an hour or two after getting up in the mornings, have had chronic blood-shot eyes, and have often been wakened by air coming from my eyes when no leaks were felt at my nasal pillow. I think we need some research in all of this.

I think we need some research in all of this.

I agree. I have the saddlebags and the watery runny eyes, for hours after I get up. The saddlebags never go away. I can see them at the top of my cheeks right now as I type this. Someone at work recently told me that they were glad that I felt better because I looked awful. When I mentioned it to my sleep doc he just looked at me with that blank stare and said he had never heard of such a thing happening from cpap therapy. I just tell myself that at least I am waking up. I am trying some nasal pillows thru Babbette's tryout program - maybe I can use them and they will be better. But I am having really good results from my ffm and don't want to give that up. Now I am worried that I am actually damaging the tissue around my eyes from the air. But I will have some fun tomorrow at work with my "black" eye.

raggetykat,
I'm sorry about the hematoma, and a little nervous over it too. I don't like strange things happening around my eyes or anyone else's. Keep us updated on your eye.

This fall, I responded to a a thread about air leaking from the mask into their eyes. I can't find any trace of an air leak close to my eyes. But in the mornings, my eyes are so dry and sore, I feel as though I had been hiking across a hot barren deseret for days. The dryness and pain persists for a couple of hours.

pir66, your post offered suggestions I had not considered. And . . . I haven't read about others getting the saddlebag syndrome I now have. They began about a month after I started cpap treatment. I had to stop therapy for almost a month to heal deep sores in my nares, and they started to diminish. Now after almost a year on cpap, they are pronounced.. Like most women, my appearance is important to me, and it is a shocker to look in the mirror and see them. None of my relatives have them, even my brother who has Parkinsons and prostrate cancer.

I asked my Sleep Doctor and my opthomologist about the problem with my eyes. Both thought I had a dry eye condition, that had nothing to do with cpap use. They suggested I use an eye lubricant & an eye shield. I was using an eye shield, and eye drops, & they weren't helping. I told both doctors I came to them to find a solution for a problem that was getting worse. They acted like I brought up a rare condition that they had never heard mentioned before. I have also had conjunctivitis because of apnea treatment.

pir66, I will try the ent I usually use, hopefully he has better idea. There has to be an answer to this.

Jan

I once rubbed my eyes when I woke up (pre-apnea )and the blood vessels in one eye started leaking, I wasn't aware of it until after my shower just before I started using my blow-dryer...bright red eyeball! I was horrified, slicked back my a hair (what there is of it), threw on some clothes and shoes, dashed out the door to the Urgent Care place. They calmed me down; doc suggested I take some extra vitamin C as I was brusing too. Had the durned red eyeball for way longer than made me happy. Are you bruising too? If so, might try some C and see if it helps. In my case, the extra C really helped. Now, if I notice bruising, I take an additional 500-1000 mgs/day for a few days.

Jan - Do you think they are in the exact shape of the sinus cavity under the eyes? I looked it up online once and that is what it looked like to me. So is air getting in there and not coming out? I just don't get it. But I am really tired of it. I was always proud of the fact that my face still looked so young and now I look like I have aged 10 years.

Muse - I am trying to think if maybe I rubbed my eye more today, or maybe it just was from all the rubbing I have been doing lately with the dry, itching eyes. I have had the broken blood vessels in my eye a lot. Once I had it in both eyes at the same time. I scared little kids when I went to the store. It was just so weird to look up from washing my hands and see this purple/blue/black swelling around my eye when I had been doing nothing.

Raggedy Kat. I tried the Swift LT mask and it definitely improved the "prize fighter" problem for me although the saddle bags are still there. They do not appear to be as pronounced although of course I am now very sensitive to them.
I am currently trying an Avon product called ANEW which I am told has amazing results in tightening up skin. We will see. Will let you know what I find.

raggedykat,
I don't know the about the sinuses, but I am making an appointment today to find out.
I am sick of people asking me, "Jan are you sick, is there something wrong with you" It is those blasted bags under my eyes. How is the Hematoma today? I am also going to try vitamin C. Heck, I would try almost anything to get rid of these ugly looking things.


Jan

http://ezinearticles.com/?Dry-Eye-Symptoms-and-CPAP-Therapy---An-Eye-Doctors-Perspective&id=2020082

- It is postulated the air pressure could induce dry eye by forcing air though the tear puncta openings. Punctal plug occlusion by an Eye Doctor can be tried with temporary collagen punctual plugs to rule out this possibility.
-Sleep apnea patients also have an increased frequency of floppy eyelid syndrom

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Eye-Care/CPAP-related-red-eyes/show/662813

I would suggest seeing an oculoplastic surgeon to examine the lower segment of the tear duct opening (valve of hasner) to see if there is a problem there. I am not an expert on CPAP tubing but I have had seveeral patients with this problem solve it by going to micro/mini masks. Its a common problem. Disucss it with your pulmonary
MD also.

Find a oculplastic surgeon at http://www.aao.org

Don't bother with your DME - the asshole told me that it wasn't possible that the cpap was affecting my eyes because she could see, sitting across a huge desk from me, that my mask wasn't leaking when I was told to hold it up to may face! Really by being 5 feet away she could tell! After all her years of experience, Really!
You need an eye doctors, and make sure they know all about cpap therapy before you bother with an apointment.

Okay, eye doctor or ENT. Which do you think. And what will the eye doctor do?

Oh, and it is worse. It has spread to the saddlebag under my eye.

Hi raggedyKat,

It's time to schedule a doctor's appointment. I've just phoned an ENT doctor who suggests you make an eye doctor's appointment.

It's something easily taken care of by a doctor. Keep us updated.

Best wishes,

Katherine