Rosacea and Eyelid Inflammation Caused by CPAP Mask

[Auricula]

Here is some material from a post I just made in response to robysue's thread on what to do about chapped lips:

You could also evaluate what you are using to wash your face in case it is drying your skin. For the first three winters I was on CPAP I developed unsightly rosacea, which I thought was caused by an allergic reaction to the plastics in the mask, and was going back and forth between recommendations of my ophthalmologist (who said it was actually blepharitis, an inflammation of the eyelashes) and my dermatologist (who said rosacea). My face got very red and I developed chains of abrasions.

I stopped using soaps and conventional cleansers and went to a facial cleansing gel for sensitive skin that contains no soap, artificial colors, or paraben (a chemical used as a preservative for its bactericidal and fungicidal properties). I also started washing my eyelids with baby shampoo diluted with water and used an eyelid scrub every other day.

The rosacea/blepharitis condition is gone as is the itchy/stinging/crusty stuff I used to have in the corners of my eyes, as well as the chronic tearing. Just thought of one other change this winter and that is that I am not using a heated hose; I adopted the technique of taking the 6’ hose under the covers with me; the air that is exhausted is not as warm as with the HH, which sometimes made my face too hot, and I am not experiencing any rainout.

[LSAT]

What mask were you using that covered your eyelids?

[Brenpbb11150]

Lsat...I think that she was having air from the cpap blowing in her eyes and that is what caused the irratation with the eyelids.
I have a nasal mask and I have so many problems with my eyes tearing up and its very uncomfortable. I have tried everything and nothing seems to help.
Bren

[LSAT]

Lsat...I think that she was having air from the cpap blowing in her eyes and that is what caused the irratation with the eyelids.
I have a nasal mask and I have so many problems with my eyes tearing up and its very uncomfortable. I have tried everything and nothing seems to help.
Bren

How about a different mask?

[Brenpbb11150]

Lsat....I am on my eighth mask of trying to find the right one and I still have the eye problems..I have just learned to deal with it.
Thanks
Bren

[atruvirgo]

I also have inflammation of the eyes. I am currently on anti-biotic eye drops for 2 weeks to clear it up and using Baby Shampoo 2x's per day per the Opthamologist. He said it is a battle with CPAP. It is helping so far. I usually wake up with red, puffy, blurry eyes and they tear until noon! Right now it is a bit better with above treatment. Good luck!
Debbie

[Twentysix]

Lsat...I think that she was having air from the cpap blowing in her eyes and that is what caused the irratation with the eyelids.
I have a nasal mask and I have so many problems with my eyes tearing up and its very uncomfortable. I have tried everything and nothing seems to help.
Bren

I think I would try one of these sleep masks you get on a long flight? Maybe that can protect your eyes?

[Moonwalker253]

I actually know to have a sleep test done for sleep apnea because of my optimologist. My eyes had been watering for months. I had gone to the optometrist thinking it was a problem with my contacts. He checked my contacts, he plucked my eye lashes, he gave me steroid eye drops, he was stumped as to what was causing my eyes to constantly water. Finally I went to the optimologist. Within 5 seconds of me telling him about my eyes constantly watering he asked me if I had sleep apnea. I said not to my knowledge. He told me that I should get a sleep study done because my eyes are watering because of what is called Floppy Eyelid Syndrome and it is often a condition that is problematic for people with sleep apnea. I got the sleep test. Yep. Sleep apnea.

What happens during Floppy Eyelid Syndrome is while you are sleeping your eyelids actually flip open and your eyeball is then exposed to the air. The eye dries out and can be very painful too, as a result of that the next day your eyes constantly water because they are trying to lubricants themselves due to being so dry. Day after day the cycle repeats itself.

If you have constantly watering eyes this may be what’s happening for you too! There’s not much that can be done for FES unless you want to get an eye surgery to tighten your eyelids. I acrtully use medical tape and tape my eyelids shut at night to make sure that they don’t flip open and dry out.