Eye leak

[PaulaO2]

I'm congested so I'm using the Nuance with a chin strap so I get the full benefit of the humidification. This morning I was lounging (ie being a lazy slug) in bed after waking. I realized I was feeling air on my eye. I usually feel it with the Simplus and adjusting the mask fixes most of it. I ran my finger around the outside of the Nuance but could hear no sound. I put my finger up near my eye and the sound changed. After some experimentation, I realized the air was coming from the eye itself.

I had heard this could happen and I think this has been happening to me for quite some time. It wasn't until a morning with a quiet house (for once) that I was able to figure it out.

I haven't researched it yet. I thought I would come here first and start the conversation.

Is there anything that can be done about it? It was just the left eye that I noticed it but the right eye gets just as gummy.

[PaytonA]

Happens to me. I have not felt it for quite a while but based on the way my eyes feel upon waking I think that it is still happening. I asked my ophthalmologist if it was danger to my eye and he said only if it dried my eye out. That is when he recommended the Systane gel type eye drops if I started getting dry eye.

The only way that I can think of to keep it from happening is to use a total face mask that covers the eyes too. There is one other way that the eye doc mentioned and that is they can plug the tear ducts. That did not appeal to me at all.

Best Regards,

PaytonA

[justMongo]

Paula:

The tear duct closest to the nose is actually a drain from the eye to the sinus cavity.
PAP pressurizes the sinuses. There is a little "flapper" check valve; but PAP pressure can overcome it.
Mine leak -- the only symptom I have from it is that it blows crud in my eyes.

It is very important to keep the eye from drying out. The sclera can become quite sore. Worse would be drying out the cornea which might be harmful to vision since it is an integral part of the eye's refractory system.

I'm using the same eye drops as Payton -- I thought I got the idea to switch from Refresh to Systane from you. I could be wrong.
(I thought I made mistake once; but I was wrong.)

Oh, Payton: Plugging those ducts would be easy on you. I'd do it for you. I'll tap them 4-40 and put allen screws in with locktite.

[OpalRose]

Those plugs sound horrendous.

I've had the air in the eye problem off and on. It really dries out the eyes. I also use Systane drops and ointment.

Not sure what else can be done.

[PaulaO2]

Okay. I use the Systane gel quite often. I guess I need to do it every night. My eyes have a constant crud/gunk build up during the day so I wonder if I have a mild eye infection. I need to see my eye doc any way.

Blocking that duct isn't possible for me due to my ocular hypertension.