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CPAP and Eye Irritation - OpalRose - 02-27-2015

Question for all HoseHeads???

Do you or have you ever suffered from eye irritation while on CPAP?

Now let me start by saying that my therapy is going well. Have gone from untreated AHI of 33 to usually below 1.0 most days. Feel fairly good and adapting well to P10 mask after figuring out I needed a size small nasal pillow instead of extra small. Works better and leak rate good.

The last couple of months have been trying to say the least. Upon waking each morning, my eyes are red, itchy, puffy, and just hurt. It sometimes feels like sandpaper is in them. I also use dry eye drops and eye gels/ointment at night. They don't seem to help. UGH! And no, I didn't start out with dry eyes.

I suspect that the P10 mask could be an issue due to the air that enters nasal passages also going straight to the lacrimal eye ducts, although I don't feel this air
in my eyes.

Now it has been suggested by others to try either the Oracle Mask or the Fit Life Total Face Mask. I have looked into both options, but don't see me using that Oracle Mask because I would then become a mouth breather which I have overcome since using the nasal pillow mask! The Fit Life mask is something I may have to try since I've read on this site and elsewhere that the air pressure is equalized over entire face and eyes won't get irritated. Has anyone used this mask? It would be a big change for me to go from a P10 nasal mask to a Full Face mask.

Any thoughts out there? I can't be the only one who suffers with this eye problem!
Thanks
OpalRose


RE: CPAP and Eye Irritation - PaytonA - 02-27-2015

Our Ghostly Kentucky friend has used the Fitlife mask and speaks highly of it and there are others. Hopefully they will chime in.


RE: CPAP and Eye Irritation - PollCat - 02-27-2015

Is it possible that you are sleeping on your side and the exhaust is being deflected back into your eyes by the bedding?


RE: CPAP and Eye Irritation - AshSF - 02-27-2015

Air leaking from Nasocrimal ducts is a "rare" reason for dry eyes. A more common reason could be your P10 leaking on the side of your nostril and hitting your eyes OR as pollcat suggested (the vented air rebounding into your eyes). Look at your leak rates. It will provide a clue to what is happening. You should post your leak rate overview graph for last 60 days on this thread and also your leak graph of a day when you had this irritation in the morning.

Also, you can try sleeping with a travel sleep mask and evaluate if you still have dry eyes. If you do, then the ducts may be indicted but if no, then its probably a P10 leaking on the sides of your nostril.

You should also try a test of holding your nose and mouth shut and blowing thru your nose. If your ducts don't leak at that pressure then its highly unlikely that they will leak on cpap pressure.

Try eliminate all reasons before you blame the ducts.

In general, its much easier to sleep with the P10 than any FFM or the total face mask.



RE: CPAP and Eye Irritation - Seabird - 02-27-2015

I had a lot of issues with my eyes and the P10. It got a little better with a lower pressure. Initially my eyes would start watering immediately, even without leaks. Now with a pressure of 7 it isn't as much of an issue. My eye doctor gave me some heavy nighttime eye drops which also seem to help.

You aren't the only one!


RE: CPAP and Eye Irritation - OpalRose - 02-27-2015

PaytonA
Thanks. Hoping to hear from our Ghostly friend on Fitlife mask. Although it would be hard for me to
go from a P10 mask to a Full Face mask.

PollCat
Yes, I sleep on my side and back, but when on my side I do feel air hitting my eyes, but I couldn't figure it out because of the way the P10 diffuses. But it could be hitting pillow and deflecting into eyes.

Seabird,
Sorry you've had issues with your eyes too. I also have been trying to lower starting pressure a bit, but being I am not on a straight setting, it probably wont make a difference.

AshSF,
I really have put off calling an Eye Doctor. Didn't want to bring up the Nasocrimal duct issue...
heaven knows what he might want to do!
I purchased a travel sleep mask last month. Been trying to use it off and on...more off than on.
My Claustrophobia kicks in then I have to remove it.

I will try to post an overview of the last two months and a couple of days these last two weeks.





RE: CPAP and Eye Irritation - DariaVader - 02-27-2015

I have eye issues. the P10 is lightyears better with respect to eye issues than the FX Nasal Pillows for her that I also have, but I still have eye issues, and am currently healing from a sty, so it's worse than ever. I am tempted to try the fitlife for my next mask... I worry that as a side sleeper with a very short face it would be very leak prone - but maybe not.

My theory is that my eye issues have several causes, not one. air from the vent is one, and is for absolute certain a biggie for me. Another is general sinus irritation that is fairly constant. yet another, and unrelated cause is water retention, and I don't really know how to tell the difference between swelling from sinus vs swelling from excess fluid.

The best remedies I have found are to keep air streams from hitting the eyes however i can, keep sinuses as clear as possible, and apply eye creams containing caffeine for swelling after it has occurred anyway. I also set my EPR from 2 to 3 after reading that it might help with lowering renal vascular resistance, and it has really helped with water retention in my legs and also my eyes. Previously the water retention in my legs was compressing nerves and causing the outside edge of my feet to "go to sleep" and that symptom has subsided.



RE: CPAP and Eye Irritation - OpalRose - 02-27-2015

Screenshots for last couple months showing leak rates and other info.
Anyone feel free to comment.

[attachment=1309]
[attachment=1310]
[attachment=1312]
[attachment=1313]




RE: CPAP and Eye Irritation - OpalRose - 02-27-2015

(02-27-2015, 02:02 PM)DariaVader Wrote: I have eye issues. the P10 is lightyears better with respect to eye issues than the FX Nasal Pillows for her that I also have, but I still have eye issues, and am currently healing from a sty, so it's worse than ever. I am tempted to try the fitlife for my next mask... I worry that as a side sleeper with a very short face it would be very leak prone - but maybe not.

My theory is that my eye issues have several causes, not one. air from the vent is one, and is for absolute certain a biggie for me. Another is general sinus irritation that is fairly constant. yet another, and unrelated cause is water retention, and I don't really know how to tell the difference between swelling from sinus vs swelling from excess fluid.

The best remedies I have found are to keep air streams from hitting the eyes however i can, keep sinuses as clear as possible, and apply eye creams containing caffeine for swelling after it has occurred anyway. I also set my EPR from 2 to 3 after reading that it might help with lowering renal vascular resistance, and it has really helped with water retention in my legs and also my eyes. Previously the water retention in my legs was compressing nerves and causing the outside edge of my feet to "go to sleep" and that symptom has subsided.

DariaVader,
Sorry you are having eye issues...it really stinks doesn't it? Your theory makes sense to me. I think somehow the air from the mask is hitting my eyes.
Im hoping that I don't have to change to the FitLife mask after getting used to nasal pillows, but if nothing else works, then I will give it a try.
Thanks for your input.
OpalRose



RE: CPAP and Eye Irritation - Mr. Van Winkle - 02-27-2015

(02-27-2015, 08:25 AM)OpalRose Wrote: Question for all HoseHeads???

Do you or have you ever suffered from eye irritation while on CPAP?

Now let me start by saying that my therapy is going well. Have gone from untreated AHI of 33 to usually below 1.0 most days. Feel fairly good and adapting well to P10 mask after figuring out I needed a size small nasal pillow instead of extra small. Works better and leak rate good.

The last couple of months have been trying to say the least. Upon waking each morning, my eyes are red, itchy, puffy, and just hurt. It sometimes feels like sandpaper is in them. I also use dry eye drops and eye gels/ointment at night. They don't seem to help. UGH! And no, I didn't start out with dry eyes.

I suspect that the P10 mask could be an issue due to the air that enters nasal passages also going straight to the lacrimal eye ducts, although I don't feel this air
in my eyes.

Now it has been suggested by others to try either the Oracle Mask or the Fit Life Total Face Mask. I have looked into both options, but don't see me using that Oracle Mask because I would then become a mouth breather which I have overcome since using the nasal pillow mask! The Fit Life mask is something I may have to try since I've read on this site and elsewhere that the air pressure is equalized over entire face and eyes won't get irritated. Has anyone used this mask? It would be a big change for me to go from a P10 nasal mask to a Full Face mask.

Any thoughts out there? I can't be the only one who suffers with this eye problem!
Thanks
OpalRose

Have to tried wearing a eye mask? (like the one's you would wear if you had to sleep during the daytime), being you like your nasal pillow set up and it working for you try an eye mask at least you could see if you need to do a different mask set up.
Just a thoughDont-know
Hope you can find a solution.
Sleep-well