CPAP and eyes

[SunnyBeBe]

I hope this has not already been addressed. I've searched this site, but, wasn't able to find any threads on it.

Has anyone noticed any issues with their eyes since starting cpap treatment? I'm having an issue that I won't go into detail about now (long story), but, it started getting worse when I went on Cpap treatment. Perhaps, just coincidental. Most things about my health greatly improved. But, I'm trying to rule things out. I've been under care of ophthalmologist for over a year. He knows I'm on cpap, but, hasn't commented on it.

So, is there anyway that the device can affect the eyes? Cause dry eye? Create some sort of issue? I monitor my cpap progress daily online and have never had a leak for more than a second.

I welcome any ideas.

[Ron AKA]

The usual culprit is dry eyes caused by mask leaks blowing into your eyes when you are sleeping. If you are asleep you may not know it is happening. I have a P10 nasal pillow which puts the mask a long way from my eyes, but I still get it sometimes. You may want to try different nasal masks to see which work best for you. The P10 and the F&P Brevida may be worth a try. In general I would think the nasal pillows are the best bet, the full nasal the next, and the full face potentially the worst. But it all depends on whether they leak or not, and where.

Have you looked at your leak data on SleepyHead? It should give you some idea if you are getting leaks when you are asleep.

[Julie]

Without knowing your problem, it's a bit hard to comment.

[D.H.]

There's really not a lot of information here, but the obvious suspect is air blowing into the eyes, perhaps from the exhale vent (which would make it "not a leak").

[SunnyBeBe]

Okay. I see. I do check with Res Med My Air daily and have never seen an air leak on my daily reports. Of course, that could be inaccurate. I do use nasal pillows, and normally if one gets a little wonky, I hear it and adjust it immediately. I get a good fit and seal and leaking has never been a problem. That's why I say no leak for more than a second.

So, if I don't have leaks in the nasal pillow, the only other culprit would be the air coming out of the tube underneath the pillow, right? That seems to blow away from my eyes though. I'm grasping at straws and just trying to rule out things. I don't use a ceiling fan or have air blowing in my direction when I sleep.

Ref. my eye situation. I have a problem with corneal adhesion. It's been there for many years, but, a couple of years ago, progressed and got very inflamed. Now both eyes are bothering me. I'm using heavy duty lubrication at night.

[LSAT]

The usual culprit is dry eyes caused by mask leaks blowing into your eyes when you are sleeping. If you are asleep you may not know it is happening. I have a P10 nasal pillow which puts the mask a long way from my eyes, but I still get it sometimes. You may want to try different nasal masks to see which work best for you. The P10 and the F&P Brevida may be worth a try. In general I would think the nasal pillows are the best bet, the full nasal the next, and the full face potentially the worst. But it all depends on whether they leak or not, and where.

Have you looked at your leak data on SleepyHead? It should give you some idea if you are getting leaks when you are asleep.

Did you look at the mask she is currently using?...NASAL PILLOW MASK

[LSAT]

The usual culprit is dry eyes caused by mask leaks blowing into your eyes when you are sleeping. If you are asleep you may not know it is happening. I have a P10 nasal pillow which puts the mask a long way from my eyes, but I still get it sometimes. You may want to try different nasal masks to see which work best for you. The P10 and the F&P Brevida may be worth a try. In general I would think the nasal pillows are the best bet, the full nasal the next, and the full face potentially the worst. But it all depends on whether they leak or not, and where.

Have you looked at your leak data on SleepyHead? It should give you some idea if you are getting leaks when you are asleep.

Did you look at the mask she is currently using?...NASAL PILLOW MASK

[Pugsy]

The current eye issues may or may not have anything to do with cpap.

But I will share one way that cpap air can make it to the eyes to maybe cause a problem and maybe aggravate an already pre-existing condition like the old abrasion and maybe scarring.

It has nothing to do with the mask itself leaking and hitting the eyes...besides for most of us if that happened the eyelids are closed as we are asleep and the eyelids should protect the eyes in that situation.
So I doubt it is your mask leaking that is the issue.

And to be honest I don't know if what I am going to say is your issue but it is a way for the air from cpap to go up your nose and make it to the eyeballs.

There are little ducts up inside the nasal passageway that communicate/go to the eyeball area.
Normally these ducts are closed off and the little tiny passageway from the nasal cavity to the eyeball is closed off.
With some people these ducts don't close off and air going up the nose can travel up the little duct and make it to the eyeball and blow on the eyeball and dry it out and/or maybe (stress maybe) make an already existing problem worse.
I think it might be called the lacrimal or nasolacrimal duct.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasolacrimal_duct

Too closed off and we getting copious tearing of the eyes...too open and air from cpap can enter the duct and potentially affect the eye.

While this study points to a child...there's no reason for it to be limited to children.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3014248/

and it's even been discussed here on the forum
viewtopic/t67526/Air-shoots-out-eye-thr ... -cpap.html

Bottom line....might want to see an ENT along with the eye doctor to figure out if this is happening with you and if it is impacting the old eye injury any. It might or might not.

I will say this...just having dry eyes will irritate an old healed and probably scarred cornea from an abrasion.
Been there and done that myself but that was pre cpap and fortunately cpap doesn't seem to be affecting that old injury.

[SunnyBeBe]

I found this.

https://www.aoa.org/news/clinical-eye-c ... n-the-eyes

Don't know if I have floppy eye lids or not. My doctors have never commented on it. But, I am going to explore this. I was never diagnosed with severe apnea. I had mild to moderate Hpypopneas. I have to confirm if the cpap is a factor here. I've been using gel at night and just switched to ointment in both eyes.

[SunnyBeBe]

THANKS PUGSY. I saw something about what you describe, but, you describe it better. I'm going to explore this pronto! Oh, I did get my tear ducts plugged, but, not sure if that helped. One fell out, but, they seem to be about the same now. Odd....


This article addresses goggles for night use. I'm certainly checking it out. If anyone knows of someone who has used them, please state what they thought.

http://www.sleepreviewmag.com/2016/09/i ... -patients/

I also read about potential for air pressure going through sinuses and then through eyelids, causing air in eye. Is that even possible? Is this what Pugsy described above? OMG. I see there are some things I have to discuss with my doctor. At least, there may be some hope for me. lol

[Ron AKA]

Did you look at the mask she is currently using?...NASAL PILLOW MASK

Yes. There are a few different model of them though...

[palerider]

The usual culprit is dry eyes caused by mask leaks blowing into your eyes when you are sleeping. If you are asleep you may not know it is happening. I have a P10 nasal pillow which puts the mask a long way from my eyes, but I still get it sometimes. You may want to try different nasal masks to see which work best for you. The P10 and the F&P Brevida may be worth a try. In general I would think the nasal pillows are the best bet, the full nasal the next, and the full face potentially the worst. But it all depends on whether they leak or not, and where.

Have you looked at your leak data on SleepyHead? It should give you some idea if you are getting leaks when you are asleep.

Did you look at the mask she is currently using?...NASAL PILLOW MASK

Ron doesn't bother to think... he's got all the answers... except to fix his own crappy therapy.

[chunkyfrog]

One of the side effects of many drugs is dry eye,
especially some eye drops for glaucoma.
Sometimes it is not cpap.
Even if it is, there are always goggles.

[palerider]

Did you look at the mask she is currently using?...NASAL PILLOW MASK

Yes. There are a few different model of them though...

Do you actually read the twaddle that you post? You're wrong, admit it, and quit posting.

[kteague]

Just a little visual aid...