Styes suck (Vent warning!)

[geoDoug]

No, I'm not talking about pig pens. Although our house can use some cleaning.

A few days ago, my eye started hurting. I thought maybe it had something to do with leakage from my mask, since I had read somewhere that leakage can cause irritation/watery eyes. Then I woke up today to a puffy and red eyelid. It definitely looks like a sty. Now I can't use my CPAP/Mask until the damn sty goes away because it hurts too much and using it just irritates the problem! Last night I started with machine, laid in bed wide awake for half an hour, took the mask off, then spent the rest of the night on the couch. I'm dead-to-the-world right now.

ARGHGHGH!!!

Help?

Doug.

[CollegeGirl]

Hi Doug - there shouldn't be mask or air coming in contact with your eye - maybe if you explain how that's occurring we can help a little more. Thanks.

[JeffH]

Get a tube of this. Great stuff and you won't have any eye pain. OTC at all drug stores.



And College Girl, you can get CPAP air in your eyes. I do...from a car wreck injury years ago.

[JimW]

Considered nasal pillows? (At least 'til the sty goes away.)

[WillSucceed]

geoDoug:
Let me say, right up front, I'm not a Dr. and, I think that you should go see your Dr. right away about the problem with your eye.

However, after having made the statement above, it is possible to have air leaking OUT of your eye -your tear duct system drains into your nasal system. This is part of why we get so snotty nosed and wet when crying. When you pressurize the whole system (with your CPAP mask on, you are part of the circuit) air can leak through the tear duct system, OUT of your eye.

It could be that you have mask leak that is blowing INTO your eye and causing significant irritation and inflammation. You have, it seems, a self-diagnosis of a sty in your eye. You might also have a condition called blepharitis -inflamation of the eye-lid.

I've recently had a nasty eye infection that did not respond to both antibiotic eye drops and antibiotic gel to put along my eyelid. With eye infections, topical treatment is often used because we don't have a huge blood supply in the eyelids and eyeball. Because these two treatments did not work, I had to take 2 weeks of Keflex pills to clear it up.

So, I'm not diagnosing your eye problem, I'm just telling you what happened to me. I'd really encourage you to see your Dr., acting quickly to protect your vision.

For what it is worth, I have had eye problems when my mask leaked air into my eye. This even happened when I was using a nasal pillow system (CL2) that had a leak at the elbow. JimW suggested a nasal pillow system which, in theory, should reduce the likelihood of air blowing into your eyes.

[geoDoug]

Hi Doug - there shouldn't be mask or air coming in contact with your eye...

"Shouldn't" is the key word in that sentence. When I first lie down, I get situated so there are no leaks and whatnot. But if I move in the night, the mask will shift causing leakage and/or "inch upward" rubbing against my eyes.

Get a tube of this. Great stuff and you won't have any eye pain. OTC at all drug stores.

Thanks for the tip. I'll swing by the drug store and pick some up.

Considered nasal pillows? (At least 'til the sty goes away.)

I already thought about that. I had to use them after my sleep study a good five years ago (beard didn't exactly agree with a mask). They're most likely the reason I stopped being compliant. As a short-term solution, it couldn't hurt--except in the pocketbook.

Doug.

[CollegeGirl]

Hi again, Doug. This is definitely a problem with mask fit - but I'm sure you could have told me that. The only solution is to try different masks until you find one that's going to work for you - you're going to have a tougher time since you have a beard - but there are other users here with beards, and I'm sure they'd be glad to tell you what they use. Don't settle for this - there IS a mask out there that will work for you.

[momadams]

I started having a dry-eye problem and a recurring corneal erosion about 6 months before starting CPAP. So I'm paranoid about air-in-the-eye. Even though the Swift vents away from the eyes, I'm concerned about ANY extra airflow.
I was told by the eye doc to use Muro128 ointment (otc) every night - it really does the job, but it does wear off, so if I get up in the night I put more in the bad eye.
I also made an eyemask from ultrasuede scraps - it's stuffed with plastic pellets from the craft store (washable) , so it's held in place by weight (I sleep mostly on my back, and just sort of drape it over my "top" eye when I'm on my side).
Shari

[Slinky]

My husband spends a lot of time outdoors, all year long regardless the weather. Strong winds will often cause a stye to develop on his eyelid. Just a while ago he developed one having been out in his fishing boat.

Be especially aware and careful about masks leaks into the eyes. You might want to consider looking at the bridge of the nose area of any mask you consider and compare the width in that area amongst the choices. You may well find you are selecting or have selected a mask too wide at the bridge of the nose.

[JeffH]

[quote="momadams"]I started having a dry-eye problem and a recurring corneal erosion about 6 months before starting CPAP. So I'm paranoid about air-in-the-eye. Even though the Swift vents away from the eyes, I'm concerned about ANY extra airflow.
I was told by the eye doc to use Muro128 ointment (otc) every night - it really does the job, but it does wear off, so if I get up in the night I put more in the bad eye.
I also made an eyemask from ultrasuede scraps - it's stuffed with plastic pellets from the craft store (washable) , so it's held in place by weight (I sleep mostly on my back, and just sort of drape it over my "top" eye when I'm on my side).
Shari

[jennmary]

If it is a stye then here is a hint that might help. clean it with baby shampoo. It will break up the blockage and wont hurt your eyes. This advice came from my doctor. Hope you are feeling better soon.

[robbieh]

I thought about getting a mask to put over my eyes like you see for people who have to sleep in the daytime. It seems like it would block both air and light.

[JZ]

While we are on the topic of eyes...

WillSucceed mentioned blepheritis. I had two bouts with it some years ago - very painful. It is a condition that needs a doctor diagnosis and treatment. But, I was glad to learn I could prevent a recurrance. It is the suggestion that jenmary mentioned of washing your eyelids and eyebrows with baby shampoo. My ophthalmologist recommended it. Baby shampoo really is no tears.

Blepheritis most commonly occurs in people with oily skin (that's me) or dandruff in the eyebrows. I keep a little squeeze bottle of diluted baby shampoo (about 1/3 water) by the bathroom sink and another in the shower. I wash my eyelids morning and night and have been blepheritis free for...omg...it has been almost 20 years. The eyelid washing really feels good, too. I did not know that a lot of what I experienced as irritated or tired eyes was when tiny amounts of skin oil came in contact with my eyes.

Janna

[WillSucceed]

Hi JZ:
Thanks for mentioning what I forget to say. The baby shampoo trick is exactly what my Dr. told me to do as well.
I hope geoDoug gets this cleared up... eye problems are seriously no fun at all.

[dsm]

To add to all of the already good & helpful advice, be aware that facemasks that aren't cleaned daily, are a wonderful home for bacteria & causing zits & possibly styes in warm weather.

Self learned early & painfully that the minimum process here in a warm climate (when it is summer) is to at least wash the mask daily (don't need to pull it apart) just use soapy water or as Jennmary suggests baby shampoo.

Very quick process.

I also wash face *every* night just before going to bed & the combo of washed mask seal & cleaned face (for me) works very well. Only complication is any water drops left in the mask can catch at the vent holes & cause whistling. A quick finger rub over the vent holes while air is exiting, always clears that if & when it occurs.

Good luck

DSM