odd side effect: air inside under lower eyelid

lebowski8 · Post by **lebowski8** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 8:44 am

I'm having an occasional, odd side effect that sometimes wakes me up or else makes it a little difficult to fall asleep again. It's only happening under my lower right eyelid. Seems to be worse with my FF mask.

This is what happens -- air enters (my guess, through the sinuses) and my lower eyelid begins to inflate like a balloon-- the air is trapped like a bubble under the eyelid. If I open my eye, the seal breaks and the pressure is relieved. It doesn't happen with the left side (im thinking its a sinus malformation).

I haven't figured out if changing a sleep position helps or not-- i have a hard time side sleeping with the FF, whereas with the Swift LT, it doesn't happen so much.

Please let me know if you have any insight, I appreciate it!

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 8:49 am

Haven't had that happen myself, but have read about it happening to others:

Dec 25, 2006 subject: Air in eye sockets?
viewtopic.php?t=529

Dec 16, 2004 subject: Air Comming Out My Eye
viewtopic.php?t=529

john5757 · Post by **john5757** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 9:32 am

I was born with no tear ducts and had surgery as a kid to fix the issue. My eyes used to water a great deal when I eat. Yes the tear duct is connected to the sinus. When I started CPAP I used to have air leaking out of my eyes and at the time I wonder if CPAP will ever work for me. I was very lucky that somehow I do not understand fully the issue cleared up on its own. I also use the switf LT and it requires less pressure that the nasal maks that I was using to get the same benfit.

BlackSpinner · Post by **BlackSpinner** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 11:28 am

You are imagining it according to my DME, it can't happen.

"12 years of experience so I should know and I never heard of it affecting the eyes, impossible"

lebowski8 · Post by **lebowski8** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 7:36 pm

Thanks!

Well, good to know i'm not the only one out there. Maybe Scuba-style equalizing is what i need to do.

rested gal wrote:Haven't had that happen myself, but have read about it happening to others:

Dec 25, 2006 subject: Air in eye sockets?
viewtopic.php?t=529

Dec 16, 2004 subject: Air Comming Out My Eye
viewtopic.php?t=529

dels · Post by **dels** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 8:31 am

Now according to my opthamologist,( who is also a friend ) it can happen, .......so who knows. I think it is always best to trust the patient, and go to the opthamologist for an eye check, as for the DME provider, well, I dont want to sound rude, but I truly don't like it when any one right off the bat says impossible before seeing the patient and learning more. With that attitude many things would be missed and misdiagnosed.

twasbrillig · Post by **twasbrillig** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 9:44 am

Regarding internal passage of air from CPAP through tear duct:

Problem is, there is no research on this side effect. I agree with dels, there is no ruling it out. Who said the DME is qualified to judge on this particular health issue? My sleep doc said the same thing, but there is no qualified, researched opinion one way or the other for him to be referring to. (That I could find on the internet, without professional access) However, everyone who is familiar with human anatomy says that it is entirely a possibility.

I am going to see an ophthalomologist. I saw my optometrist, but I don't think he was quite the right person.

INHO, many people purport to have expert opinions on things which are not within their area of knowledge. My sleep doc is a pulmonogist, the DME personnel one deals with are frequently respiratory therapists. Have they really learned, during their prep, everything that could influence the treatment of sleep-disorderd breathing? I am pretty sure their preparation did not encompass all aspects of OSA and UARS. Unless they are truly inquiring, they are probably not as knowledgeably as they could be.

As the area of knowledge for CPAP requires EXPANSION, we should all be keeping an open mind.

ricochetv1 · Post by **ricochetv1** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 10:52 am

twasbrillig wrote:Regarding internal passage of air from CPAP through tear duct:

Problem is, there is no research on this side effect. I agree with dels, there is no ruling it out. Who said the DME is qualified to judge on this particular health issue? My sleep doc said the same thing, but there is no qualified, researched opinion one way or the other for him to be referring to. (That I could find on the internet, without professional access) However, everyone who is familiar with human anatomy says that it is entirely a possibility.

I am going to see an ophthalomologist. I saw my optometrist, but I don't think he was quite the right person.

INHO, many people purport to have expert opinions on things which are not within their area of knowledge. My sleep doc is a pulmonogist, the DME personnel one deals with are frequently respiratory therapists. Have they really learned, during their prep, everything that could influence the treatment of sleep-disorderd breathing? I am pretty sure their preparation did not encompass all aspects of OSA and UARS. Unless they are truly inquiring, they are probably not as knowledgeably as they could be.

As the area of knowledge for CPAP requires EXPANSION, we should all be keeping an open mind.

My suggestion would be to stick a small straw or some kind of hollow tube in the corner of your eye to allow the air to escape...

Muse-Inc · Post by **Muse-Inc** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 11:01 am

twasbrillig wrote:...I am going to see an ophthalomologist. I saw my optometrist, but I don't think he was quite the right person...

ENT with knowledge of apnea would be a good choice. Years pre-CPAP my ENT asked how my using the Grossan device was working out and chuckled when I commented I found it somewhat alarming when the saline solution occasionally sorta squirted outta my tear ducts; he showed me an illustration so I could see the anatomy. After assuring me that this was nothing to worry about, we both chuckled about bodies and their structural quirks.

ricochetv1 · Post by **ricochetv1** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 11:07 am

Muse-Inc wrote:
twasbrillig wrote:...I am going to see an ophthalomologist. I saw my optometrist, but I don't think he was quite the right person...
ENT with knowledge of apnea would be a good choice. Years pre-CPAP my ENT asked how my using the Grossan device was working out and chuckled when I commented I found it somewhat alarming when the saline solution occasionally sorta squirted outta my tear ducts; he showed me an illustration so I could see the anatomy. After assuring me that this was nothing to worry about, we both chuckled about bodies and their structural quirks.

You could cultivate that into a good party trick

Gerald · Post by **Gerald** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 1:33 pm

Lebo.....

The answer to the puzzle can be found in the following that I copied from a medical publication:

"Your eyes constantly produce tears containing natural infection fighting antibiotics. Blinking spreads this over the eye's surface before being sucked through two small holes in the nasal corner of your eyelids. These are the tear duct openings or puncta that drain tears to the nose and throat."

When we use CPAP, our nose and throat is pressurized....and that pressure can sometimes blow out the "puncta"....the little drains mentioned above.

If you've ever had some eye drops that you could taste immediately after the drops were put into your eyes, that's an example of your "punctum drains" at work.

Gerald

BlackSpinner · Post by **BlackSpinner** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 3:44 pm

No No - according to the DME there is no link between your throat and your eyes! How could we possibly question the knowledge of these saviors? These heroes in neon coloured tights these ... Oh that was the Pride parade.

Muse-Inc · Post by **Muse-Inc** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 3:55 pm

BlackSpinner wrote:No No - according to the DME there is no link between your throat and your eyes! How could we possibly question the knowledge of these saviors? These heroes in neon coloured tights these ... Oh that was the Pride parade.

ricochetv1 · Post by **ricochetv1** » Tue Aug 04, 2009 7:36 am

Muse-Inc wrote:
BlackSpinner wrote:No No - according to the DME there is no link between your throat and your eyes! How could we possibly question the knowledge of these saviors? These heroes in neon coloured tights these ... Oh that was the Pride parade.

You shouldn't question the Pride Parade, either... They'll send the Pride Police after you.

Froro · Post by **Froro** » Tue Aug 04, 2009 7:46 am

ricochetv1 wrote:
Muse-Inc wrote:
BlackSpinner wrote:No No - according to the DME there is no link between your throat and your eyes! How could we possibly question the knowledge of these saviors? These heroes in neon coloured tights these ... Oh that was the Pride parade.

You shouldn't question the Pride Parade, either... They'll send the Pride Police after you.

And the police will bring his friends.

odd side effect: air inside under lower eyelid

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