Pink Eye

anybody have a problem with pink eye becaused by air blowing in their eye from thier mask. my doc today said it was possiable

I have worked in the eyecare field for 28 years now ..my clinic sells frames and lenses for glasses but we are considered predominately medical. I think most of us think of the infectious type of pinkeye when we hear the term. The general term pinkeye refers to redness and swelling of the conjunctiva, the mucous membrane that lines the eyelid and eye surface. Dry eyes from lack of tears or even a long period of time being exposed to the wind and sun can dry out the eye and cause redness or in this case "pinkeye" . It seems like we get a call at least once a week from a patient wanting to come in because their eyes are very dry or because they appear pink and have excessive watering ( our eyes natural response to dryness) . When they arrive we discover they use xpap and can feel the air blowing in their eyes, but never consider the fact this air is drying their eyes. My problem is, that as a certified optician I cannot give them advice on sleep apnea or the equipment ! Actually because of all the craziness in this sue crazy world and the malpractice laws, my Optometrists or Opthamologist are not really supposed to give advice on anything but concerns about optic conditions. ! A mask that is leaking and blowing into the eyes is not optics, but apnea ! So..I am not really telling you this !

But if you came to our clinic asking what to do about your non infectious "pinkeye" we would recommend using over the counter eyedrops that are meant to help restore the natural moisture to the eye. We recommend Natural Tears, Ultra Systane, and if there is any indication that the pinkness and dryness might be slightly allergy related, Optiva. These drops can all be used as many times a day as you need relief as some other famous names can create more irratation if used anymore often than 2-3 times a day. Try using 2-3 drops in each eye just before you go to bed and gear up !

So yes, the air can cause "pinkeye", the non infectious type, and can long term be very uncomfortable . The best thing to do is work on the adjustment of your mask or speak to your sleep doc, DME, whoever you use, about a different mask. The leaking is not only affecting your eyes and comfort, but if the leak is that strong I would suspect it is affecting your sleep therapy too! If insurance or cost is an issue many of the good members on this forums have masks that they loan for trial use. Of course maybe this is a general curiosity question..my mind is always working overtime !

. The leaking is not only affecting your eyes and comfort, but if the leak is that strong I would suspect it is affecting your sleep therapy too!

Not necessarily. I don't have a leak near my eyes and wake up now every morning with red eyes. There is a connection up the nose somewhere to the eyes also and that could be causing it. I have had a lot of random problem with my eyes since I started CPAP treatment. I see double on some days but not always.
I have been looking for a good optometrist but most seem to be more concerned with selling fashion frames.

Does anyone have any suggestions for someone who has never really used eye drops before? I'm afraid that the drops will burn or that I'll accidently "poke my eye out." I hate doing anything to my eyes and have purposely avoided getting contacts for that reason.

illinigal thanks for the specific suggestions, that was another concern that I had.

I've found Systane brand to be the best for me. They are more viscous and lubricate better than the cheap stuff.

There's also a Systane Ultra (which is REALLY expensive!) but it soothes irritation a little better.