Vision changed drastically after starting C-PAP

[wanbli2]

[iApproximately 2 months ago I began using my C-PAP set at 16. I just got new glasses 10 months before that. Within 3 days of starting the C-PAP my vision changed drastically. I couldnt see through my bifocals and could even see better distances without my glasses as everything is blurry with them. I have yet to see my eye doctor in the event it is due to getting better rest and wanted to wait for my body to become better adjusted to more sleep. Question is this: does sleep apnea effect a persons eyesight adversly? According to one eye doctor and another sleep expert I contacted it doesnt. But my vision being effected so immediately after starting the C-PAP] is too coincidental for me to buy that it doesn't. ANY IDEAS out there or has someone have better info.

Thanks
Ed[/i]

[Guest]

I was having eve problems and my NeuroOpthamologist(sp?) suggested that I may have sleep apnea and that could be part of my eye problems.

[mesocosm]

You may want to see your doctor and get a referal to a neurologist. I am not a medical doctor, but such a drastic change over a short period of time needs looking into. GO SEE YOUR DOCTOR.

[scottyeric]

I was having eve problems and my NeuroOpthamologist(sp?) suggested that I may have sleep apnea and that could be part of my eye problems.

This was my post. To add to this my doctor, Dr Purvin has done some published a few things linking eye problems and sleep apnea.

Here is a link to one of her studies.

http://archopht.ama-assn.org/cgi/conten ... 18/12/1626

[jbelnap]

A few thoughts/ideas crossed my mind after read the post.

1) yes, definitely see the doctor right away

2) stupid question, are you sure your eye sight is worse and not better. Not being able to see through your bifocals could mean either one. My eye sight improved significantly after starting CPAP due to the enormous amount of eye strain I was experiencing from being tired.

3) Is your mask leaking into your eyes, even a small leak can cause significant short term problems, are they dry when you wake up? Air leaking into your eyes is not acceptable and would mean you need a mask adjustment or new mask right away.

4) Do you feel your mask is putting too much pressure under your eyes or pushing up onto your eyes?

You might take these thoughts with you to the doctor, the sooner the better.

joyce

[Janelle]

It is also known that apnea can affect blood pressure. If it affects blood pressure, then doesn't high blood pressure sometimes affect eyesight, as well? I seem to remember this. And certainly ocular health is directly related they know now to diet and taking antioxidants can actually improve ocular health, so perhaps not eating as much junk food, and eating better and healthier and your whole system functioning better might actually improve eyesight. Seeing better at farther distances seems like a benefit not an adverse affect to me. And the bifocal part may need to be adjusted where it doesn't need to be as strong. So that would certainly be an improvement as well.

[Irving]

Yes it changes your vision. Especially your night vision. Especially if you are a smoker.
Take a smoker up in a small plane at night . When they get to about 5000 feet they cant see. Really gets their attention. Some even lower.
So that little bit more oxygen that you get because you are breatheing properly using cpap really makes a difference as you have noted. It helps the hormones which causes moisture retention of the lens making it more flexible and able to focus .



Irv

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): CPAP

[julie.stauble@gmail.com]

I've same issue. My vision changed drastically once I started using my BICAP set on 19. I wondered if the pressure of mask was affecting the shape of my eyes.

[Janknitz]

Another possibility is the link between apnea and hormones that regulate blood sugar--you could have diabetic retinopathy that improves with better sleep. Ask your doctor to check you for diabetes.

[chunkyfrog]

Anyone notice that the thread is nearly 7 years old;
started by someone with only 2 posts and revived by a guest (who cannot spell bipap)?
My guess: This problem is very unusual. and tends to resolve itself.
Either that, or most people would just see the doctor ASAP, instead of going online.
I am sure there are connections, but when vision is involved--SEE A DOCTOR!

[MaxDarkside]

I read that xPAP can raise ocular pressure, which could change the geometry of your eyes, therefore the ability to focus and I suppose worsen glaucoma (higher ocular pressure is loosely correlated to glaucoma, probably makes it worse). I'm a glaucoma suspect (before APAP) and thus I too should go see an eye doctor to recheck my ocular pressures. I have not booked my appointment.

[jonnybee]

I read that xPAP can raise ocular pressure, which could change the geometry of your eyes, therefore the ability to focus and I suppose worsen glaucoma (higher ocular pressure is loosely correlated to glaucoma, probably makes it worse). I'm a glaucoma suspect (before APAP) and thus I too should go see an eye doctor to recheck my ocular pressures. I have not booked my appointment.

I, too, am a glaucoma suspect. I visit Duke Eye Center every six months so my pressures are being monitored closely. My pressures have actually been lower over the course of the last year and a half since I have been on cpap. My last readings were the lowest I've experienced in several years.

[Janknitz]

Thanks, Chunky, I don't always look at the date before I reply.

I'm thinking of starting a thread about how to deceide when you really DO need a doctor as I've recently gotten another PM from someone asking for advice about something that should clearly be asked of a DOCTOR, not some stranger on the internet. This happens on occasion and it's disturbing!

I am not a doctor and I don't play one on TV!!!

[feeling_better]

I read that xPAP can raise ocular pressure, which could change the geometry of your eyes, therefore the ability to focus and I suppose worsen glaucoma (higher ocular pressure is loosely correlated to glaucoma, probably makes it worse). I'm a glaucoma suspect (before APAP) and thus I too should go see an eye doctor to recheck my ocular pressures. I have not booked my appointment.

I, too, am a glaucoma suspect. I visit Duke Eye Center every six months so my pressures are being monitored closely. My pressures have actually been lower over the course of the last year and a half since I have been on cpap. My last readings were the lowest I've experienced in several years.

A couple of years ago I had posted here a medical article reference, which showed that cpap increases intra occular pressure (the pressure in increase was somewhat related to -- proportional to -- the pressure of the cpap. For those who are on glucoma treatment this needs to be followed up. The other important connection both glucoma and sleep apnea (and alzeimers) have been strongly connected with the same APO EP-4 gene variation. I had also posted a medical article about thiis about 16-24 months ago in this forum.

Even though the intra-ocular (inside the eye ball) pressure changes, it has almost no measurable effect on eye glass correction needed as the pressure is increases in the normal ranges, and the pressure has to go way low, about 5-8 range (normal is above 15 for most people) before the pressure will show up as a changed refraction error.