is my seep apnea going to cause blindness?

Ok, so i am seeing halos around lighted objects at night. I am 26 years old, overweight, and have been using a bipap machine for a year and a half. My vision is blurry, i thought maybe i just needed glasses from starting a new job that has me looking at a computer screen all day. Is this an early sign of glaucoma? Its nerve racking because i started a new job and my insurance dosent kick in for 60 days. i bought a new mask because the old one was broken and held together with duct tape. So maybe the blurriness could be caused by air leaking into my eyes from the old mask? the bibap machine i have is a godsend, i wear it every night and my quality of living has improved greatly but id hate to go blind.

As long as you successfully treat Sleep Apnea, the odd's are you won't go blind and also avoid many other bad medical problems. That doesn't mean you don't need to be checked out for lifes problems that arise. Most INS doesn't cover dental or eye problems, but if you have any they need to be addressed. XPAP treatment didn't cause the world's ills, but non treatment when needed will.

The way to know if you are successful in Sleep Apnea treatment is to use a data capable machine and software to track and adjust your treatment. Jim

woodman wrote:Ok, so i am seeing halos around lighted objects at night. I am 26 years old, overweight, and have been using a bipap machine for a year and a half. My vision is blurry, i thought maybe i just needed glasses from starting a new job that has me looking at a computer screen all day. Is this an early sign of glaucoma? Its nerve racking because i started a new job and my insurance dosent kick in for 60 days. i bought a new mask because the old one was broken and held together with duct tape. So maybe the blurriness could be caused by air leaking into my eyes from the old mask? the bibap machine i have is a godsend, i wear it every night and my quality of living has improved greatly but id hate to go blind.

Have you had any blood tests recently? (like a physical for your new job) Checked for diabetes? (blood glucose levels)
Could be the leakage.
I'd say as soon as your insurance kicks in, to get some medical opinions.

Den

I saw some publications yesterday that indicate that use of CPAP can increase intraocular pressure. If I were you I would see an eye doctor as soon as you can, especially if the blurry vision lasts all day. If it's just from mask leaks, I would guess that the blurriness would be transient and only upon waking.

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Therapy Is Associated with an Increase in Intraocular Pressure in Obstructive Sleep Apnea: http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=20162239

You need to see a doctor, and you need to request a pressure test for glaucoma.

You also should think about the possibility of eye strain from the new job. Try to get some more rest, and don't do computer at home after work for a few days.

Cheers,
B.

I suspect your eye problem may be from something else. You do need to get it checked out as soon as possible though.

I suggest it may be something else because I spoke to my eye doctor when I had my yearly checkup about cpap use and sight problems. He admitted to knowing nothing about sleep apnea or cpap machines but, when I told him that the machine helps keep your oxygen levels at a healthy level when used to keep the airway open, he said that good oxygen levels are helpful to all organs of the body including the eyes.

You do need to see an eye doctor though.

echo wrote:I saw some publications yesterday that indicate that use of CPAP can increase intraocular pressure. If I were you I would see an eye doctor as soon as you can, especially if the blurry vision lasts all day. If it's just from mask leaks, I would guess that the blurriness would be transient and only upon waking.

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Therapy Is Associated with an Increase in Intraocular Pressure in Obstructive Sleep Apnea: http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=20162239

I have also woken up several times with blurriness of vision. Today I bought an eye mask with a velcro strap. I must have had it on too tight, I don't know, but I only had it on for a couple minutes so I could see if it would work under the ffm. When I took it off my eyes were very blurry. It must have caused pressure on my eyes. The blurriness went away after a couple of minutes or so. Whew!

It's ok to cover your eyes, but cover shouldn't be too tight.

Anne

woodman wrote:Ok, so i am seeing halos around lighted objects at night. I am 26 years old, overweight, and have been using a bipap machine for a year and a half. My vision is blurry, i thought maybe i just needed glasses from starting a new job that has me looking at a computer screen all day. Is this an early sign of glaucoma? Its nerve racking because i started a new job and my insurance dosent kick in for 60 days. i bought a new mask because the old one was broken and held together with duct tape. So maybe the blurriness could be caused by air leaking into my eyes from the old mask? the bibap machine i have is a godsend, i wear it every night and my quality of living has improved greatly but id hate to go blind.

Welcome, woodman.
Seeing halos around lights can be caused by a number of things.

1. Over-chlorinated water - (temporary).
2. Diabetes
3. Glaucoma
4. Cataracts

Red, sore or dry eyes might be caused by air leaks. It's less likely that your mask is causing halos around lights. If you're considerably overweight, chances are it might have something to do with one of the above. Starting with the optician will be the least expensive screen to begin with. Go to the optician you usually go to if you have glasses or contacts. Tell them your problem. It's probably cheaper than going first to an MD. The optician will tell you if you should see an ophthalmologist, internist, endocrinologist or your primary care physician depending on what s/he finds. You'll also get an idea of whether there is any urgency or whether it may be something that could wait a couple months.

While you shouldn't lose a night's sleep from this, I wouldn't waste a day getting an appointment.

PLEASE go to an opthamologist AS SOON AS AN OFFICE OPENS! If it is high eye pressures, every minute can add damage to your optic nerve. While the pressures can be reduced, the nerve damage in glaucoma is irreversible and can result in blindness.

A few months ago I was seeing at first rainbow halos around lights then yellow hazes. I called my doctor and he instructed to go to the opthamologist without delay. Within an hour I found I had eye pressures in the 40s and optic nerve damage had begun and aggressive treatment for glaucoma was started. It was serious enough that the doctor had me come back the next morning and on the 3rd day to be sure it was working. He said I was one of the lucky ones, that most ignore those visual changes until the damage causes permanent loss of vision. While I probably already had glaucoma, the Prednisone I was on likely made my pressures so high. They are now well controlled by eye drops.

Don't take any chances. Don't guess. Don't try trial and error. Don't wait and see. The choice you make could make you one of the lucky ones. If I am wrong, I apologize for being an alarmist. At least you'll have had a thorough eye exam and know not to worry. What I've experienced has made me as passionate about this as I am sleep apnea awareness. I've served on the board of a local organization for the visually impaired. At our last fundraising gala I got to meet firsthand a woman in her 50s with glaucoma who was not among the lucky. The stakes are just too high for me to not sound the alarm.

Kathy

kteague wrote:PLEASE go to an opthamologist AS SOON AS AN OFFICE OPENS!

Kathy,
Thanks for this. I had a suspicion the problem might be more serious. Knowing what Kathy has related, I have to suggest, woodman that you see an ophthalmologist immediately too. Do NOT delay a single day.

I got halos from wearing contact lenses when I was sensitive to the lens cleaning solution. It could possibly be allergies too. A trip to the eye doctor is recommended.