Waking up with puffy eyes

I am a newbie to using CPAP, with only four nights of experience. Two with a nasal mask and two with a full face mask. Both being equally uncomfortable. Every morning I woke up with puffy eyes. I have never had puffy eyes before so I know it is connected to the CPAP. Anyone else have this problem? If so, how was it resolved? Thanks.

Lots of us have experienced bags under our eyes after starting CPAP. Speaking for myself, it doesn't happen all the time anymore, but sometimes I still get them, and I don't know why. They go away after a while when I am up and walking around, but they can be a bit of a shock during that first look in the mirror.

There are a lot of theories floating around here, and I don't think anyone really knows for sure. Maybe there are multiple causes. I will offer my explanation, but with the recommendation that it be taken with a grain of salt. I'm no doctor.

In the long run, gravity, age, and fat can play a role in bags under the eyes, but on a day when those bags show up extra puffy it is because of edema: the accumulation of excess liquid in or around cells. During the days such accumulation tends to swell the feet and ankles; at night it gets redistributed through the body and we can wake up with puffy eyes. One symptom commonly caused by apnea is excessive urination at night. The explanation has been discussed before (search for nocturia), but the short version is that drops in oxygen saturation caused by the cessation of breathing signal the kidneys to eliminate fluid, presumably as a protective device against congestive heart failure. So if we get up during the night several times to pee, we are eliminating extra liquid that could otherwise cause edema and interfering with its journey from the legs as well. Many people starting CPAP get immediate relief from excessive trips to the bathroom at night, but bags under the eyes may be part of the cost for this benefit. Tight straps across the face may also have a local effect.

I have seen explanations based on the possibility of air being forced through the tear ducts into the eye area. Personally, I don't believe it. I think those are little water balloons below my eyes, not air balloons, but I really don't know. All I can really offer is the assurance that the puffy eyes seem to hit newbies more than those of us who have been using CPAP for a while.

I had this problem consistently when using a mirage quattro ffm. Can you try nasal pillows and eliminate pressure around the eye area?
Mine was really bad until I switched to a FitLife Total Face Mask which goes around my whole face, eliminating pressure in the eye area? Does it last long in the morning?

My eye doctor tells me that CPAP is blowing air into my tear ducts, hence the bag and the dry eyes.

Without having any actual scientific knowledge of the reasons for cpap causing puffy eyes, it just seems logical to me that the air is blowing into the nasal and connected cavities in your face. I look much more frightening on most mornings than I ever used to look....but as noted above, it seems to go away in a couple of hours. Three suggestions: Gently press the bags under your eyes with your fingers when you get up. Tears usually expel when I do this, and it reduces the puffiness. Then also squeeze your eyes tightly shut about 20 times after this, when you are in the shower or in a stable place. I have been known to use a small blue-ice pack under my eyes as I drive to work, and this helps to eliminate the puffiness as well. It's a small price to pay for the benefits of cpap IMO. All the best!

YES, I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT..... I am a newbie on the Ccap machine. I tired the nasal mask at first to prevent indentions in my face; however, due to my nose always being so stuffy I'm a mouth breather.....

I was able to get a full face mask that's not too bulky around my nose, and I had to adjust the straps a little to prevent leakage.
The mask didn't feel too tight and it cupped my nose and mouth perfectly....

Unfortunately, I woke up with lines on my face from the mask and huge upper and lower lid eye swelling. I only took a short nap in the middle of the day with the Ccap on, I wasn't sleep very long. My eyes were almost completely shut; therefor, I know for a Fact the Ccap machine caused swelling around my eyes. I've never experienced swelling in my upper eyelids so I know the machine caused it along with the deep indentions around my nose and mouth. Tonight before going to bed I will have to loosen the straps to prevent marks and swelling.

I hope it works!

PST, interesting analysis. I agree that the bags are fluid, not air, and your theory as to the cause may well be correct but to be sure my morning bags are actually caused by my CPAP machine I'd have to sleep without it for a night to see if I still had the bags and I don't want to do that. I've found that they do deflate during the day but the skin has been stretched so it never really goes back smooth the way it's supposed to be and it doesn't look good. Is there any way to shrink the skin so it tightens back up?

This is interesting. I had the opposite happen. I had bags under my eyes for months if not years. My hubby said they were getting worse of late. Then I started cpap a week ago and they are now almost gone. It's interesting how different people have different experiences. I hope you find the answer to fixing this. I hated my bags. Good luck!

I had the same result from Cpap. I actually look better since my sunk in eyes are filling out now from using cpap

Started using CPAP/APAP for 5 days now, and suddenly have huge puffy bags under my eyes that never existed before. People see me and ask why I look so tired. I see me and am quite upset at my appearance that was once a non-issue. I see others have the same issue on line. Is the answer to lower the humidifier, loosen the nasal mask, take the humidity completely off or what?

mmlukofsky7@aol.com wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 18, 2020 10:31 am

Started using CPAP/APAP for 5 days now, and suddenly have huge puffy bags under my eyes that never existed before. People see me and ask why I look so tired. I see me and am quite upset at my appearance that was once a non-issue. I see others have the same issue on line. Is the answer to lower the humidifier, loosen the nasal mask, take the humidity completely off or what?

The mask's straps are causing body fluids to pool. Either loosen the straps and/or use some sort of strap cover to diffuse the pressure on the skin that is restricting normal fluid dispersal.

Or use a mask like I use that doesn't use straps or headgear at all.

It's the straps that are the culprits though....the straps cause body fluids to pool and the skin under the eyes is a prime area to have the fluids pool and create the bags.

Doesn't look near at bad as does not waking up does. Jim

I suspect it might happen mostly to people with a predisposition to undereye bags-
-they just were not as noticeable before cpap.
Loosen the headgear.
Like Goofproof says, it's better than not waking up at all.