Swollen inflamed eyelids

[yorkiemum01]

On and off for months, I wake up to swollen red eyelids, and makeup does wonderful
things, but even today, the swelling became so apparent, I couldn't hide it. Over the months
I've thrown mascara (and I dont use eyeliner or wear contacts) and made sure everything I'm using
to clense my face and such is hypo-allergetic. Although I dont believe I have allergies, I began
taking allergy medication after a visit to Minute-Clinic a couple months ago. My eyes are fine, only
sore around the lids.
Today, four co-workers came up to hug me today, as I looked like I've been up all night crying
(which of course wasnt the case)...enough was enough and went to see my internal medicine
MD today. (who is well versed in CPAP therapy as well).
In his most humble opinion, I have a condition resulting from air leakage from the top of my mask, which I suppose is very possible as I'm a side sleeper. He decided to have me administer an antibiotic ointment
to my eyelids (6 times a day, gasp!) to begin with to bring down the inflammation and keep the area
moistorized, and I'll be using a cotton sleep mask in conjunction with my Quattro. He'd like for me to have
the RT come out and 'size up my mask' and possibly consider changing masks, which I'm very wary of,
as I've had such good results with my Quattro (my numbers are great).
Sooooo, I'm throwing this question out to forum members, has anyone else experienced these symptoms??

[Follow Up Call]

By "cotton sleep mask" do you mean these: http://www.remzzzs.com/ ?

[yorkiemum01]

No, just a simple cotton eye cover to keep the flow of air off my eyes until such
time as we determine which mask may suite me better.

http://www.westons.com/acatalog/Online- ... TB450.html

[yorkiemum01]

hmmmm..wonder if the lack of replies on this thread perhaps means my physician has this wrong ?

[Georgio]

I think he may be correct....I have read of others here that have developed eye conditions due to mask leaks into their eyes. I believe I recall it stated that it can be harmfull. So I would rule out that possibility first. Good luck......you need to get your eyes straight for all those dates you are planning on!

Georgio

[sleepycarol]

Right after Christmas break one of my students developed pink eye. One of my paraprofessionals came down with it and within a day I was in the office at the very end of the day and my administrator told me it was apparent I had it. I went to the doctor that very afternoon and she checked me and said I didn't have it in one eye but BOTH.

She gave me drops to use and although I used the entire bottle of drops in my eyes I am still having issues. My eyes feel irritated in the morning and are extremely bloodshot. NO, I don't drink, do drugs, etc. to make them that way. By middle of the morning they are better and towards evening the redness is gone.

I am going to have my eye doctor do a checkup on them to make sure it isn't something more.

[flopsoft]

I got inflamed eye lids all the time even before I had CPAP. I fought with it for years with Elidel and steroid creams until..... I started using a humidifier in the bedroom and now I have a whole house humidifier installed. My symptoms went away quickly and that's the only thing that I changed. It all started in the winter when the humidity in the air was very low. it's even worse with the furnace running. Hope this helps. Obviously a leaking mask does not help (if that is the problem)

[DWLyons]

I have noticed over the past several months that I have air leakage, not from the bridge area of the mask, but through the sinus opening (vents) that exist in the corners of your eyes. I can feel the air leakage. I awake every morning with a sense of dry eyes, but it passes very quickly. The amount of air leakage may be directly proportional to the pressure of you *PAP machine. As a result, you may have a mild sinus inflammation causing the irritation. A couple of possible ideas to reduce the chance of a bacterial infections make be daily cleaning of your humidifier tank and the use of distilled water, daily cleaning of your mask with an anti-bacterial cleaner.

[riverdreamer]

Prior to using CPAP, I had period of time with severe swelling, redness, and pain in my eyelids and eyes. I saw an opthamologist, and he diagnosed dry eye and blepharitis.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/blepharitis/DS00633

Blepharitis is caused by the oil glands in the edge of the eyelid clogging up, and becoming inflamed. You get swelling because of the backup of fluids and pain in the eye because the fine film of oil is intended to keep your eye from drying out. I didn't use antibiotics, though that is one option. I was told to scrub my eyelids twice a day with a washcloth as hot as I could stand, and a mild soap. That is intended to open up the ducts. It worked quite nicely, though I still sometimes have dry eye.

I don't know if this is what you have, but it is possible. The air leaks from the mask would make it worse. I linked to one site, but you might want to google to see if this makes sense to you. I would think the eye mask would help to protect from extra drying from the air blowing on your eyes.

Good luck!

[melgivan62]

My CPAP is causing the same condition. My respiratory therapist told me that before I put my CPAP on, to put a generous amount of KY Jelly on my eyelids. Amazingly, this works, for the most part. I also use GenTeal eye gel before I go to bed and moisturize the lids twice a day with (yes, I know, sounds weird) Gold Bond diabetic foot cream. These seem to help a lot, but sometimes I still have problems. Try these and see how they work.

[Pugsy]

zombie thread alert folks.

Old thread resurrected by a new member who probably didn't notice the age of the thread and realize that the person having the problem is probably long gone from here.

[Julie]

My concern would be that all those applications of stuff will leak into her eyes when asleep and do who knows what long term damage. I'd talk to an opthalmologist about it asap and not take a resp. tech's idea as med. advice.

[Julie]

An ice cube in a face cloth (or Kleenex) wiped over your lids when you get up will help how they look apart from the rest. Google Quartz sleep masks - they make ones for Cpap that help keep air out.

[chunkyfrog]

Artificial tears (even the dollar store drops) are all I need.
--but NOT the ones for redness!

[Muse-Inc]

Irriated, red, swollen eyelids here, started a few months ago. I do not have a mask blowing air on my eyes. I got these and wow, no more red, swollen, irritated eyelids! https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00 ... =UTF8&th=1