DCR and CPAP

I have been using my CPAP machine to great success for over a year now and it has really improved my life.

Unfortunately, as a result of sinus surgery, my left tear duct is now seemingly damaged. I have epiphora (tears overflowing all the time) and my eye gets irritated and puffy. It's starting to interfere with my life.

All the doctors have recommended I get a DCR surgery (dacryocystorhinostomy) to correct the problem. Upon doing some research though, it seems like it makes CPAP unusable. Well that would be a big problem for me, as without my CPAP machine my quality of life decreases substantially. Yet at the same time, this eye issue is a major irritant.

Does anyone have any experience/success stories with DCR and CPAP use? I really hope there is a solution.

Also, I heard about using a mouth-only mask, but I dont think that would work for me.

Check out this thread: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=104550&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

RodgerDodger wrote: Also, I heard about using a mouth-only mask, but I dont think that would work for me.

I can't comment on your main questions but an oral mask is definitely an option tho it takes some getting used to. Member JDS74 is an expert on them. Send him a PM and ask him to join the conversation. He also has some links to oral masking in his signature line.

SleepyCarey: Interesting thread... thanks.

The Oracle 2 oral only mask would work nicely in this situation provided you can learn to not breathe through your nose while asleep. The nasal passage is blocked so the pressure from the cpap does not reach the duct.

Please read my post on the subject. Some folks have great difficulty with this mask, others don't. I've tried to cover the possible problems and the solutions I worked out. Feel free to contact me for any more detail for your situation.

I would recommend getting one, getting used to it including learning how to not breathe through your nose at night before the surgery since that would eliminate the problems of having the duct open and under pressure.

When I got the probing of my tear duct, they forced saline solution down through the duct, and it came out in the back of my throat, so I would think that would be where they terminate the reconstructed tear duct. Wouldn't that make any cpap a problem as the air headed for the throat could be directed up the new duct?

RodgerDodger wrote:it seems like it makes CPAP unusable. Well that would be a big problem for me, as without my CPAP machine my quality of life decreases substantially.

You are correct to be very cautious. I had a tear duct injury one time. CPAP air blowing out the duct into my eye nearly made life unbearable. Fortunately the injury healed on its own in a couple of months.

Have you had a sharp discussion with the eye surgeon about this? Doctors can be very stubborn and like to treat one body part without considering what happens to the other body parts.


Sorry, I don't know a solution to your problem.

Not yet I have an appointment on the 15th at Johns Hopkins, which are the cream of the crop. I'm going to try to get a balloon dilation. It's used almost exclusively with children, but some studies show or might work with adults too. But for some reason doctors don't seem to wasn't to do it. I'd like to try every option before doing a full DCR.

I had DCR sugery in July of 2015 on my left eye, unfortunately my dr never indicated I would have an issues using my cpap after the surgery and I didn't do any research, shame on me, I just was so happy to not have my eye water anymore. I did call his office afterwards and he said to shove tissue or cotton in one of my nostrils to reduce the airflow. I tried and it didn't work. Since then I have switched to a Wisp nasal mask and it is working a little better I can sleep on my right side, only though, the air doesn't seem to come out my eye when I do that. If I do wake up I just turn off my machine and let it start all over at the decreased air flow so I can fall back to sleep. I just don't think I could do the oral mask or the full face so I am just living with it for now. I know it is still healing so I am hoping that the airflow will decrease in time. Any other ideas people have tried with success I would love to hear about.