Eye pressure and full face masks

[PaytonA]

becker,

Will the Simplus mask remain leak free at 20 cm/H2O. Could you try that for me if you have not already? I am interested in Simplus but I need to have it maintain a seal at 20. Someone on the forum back some time ago said that the Simplus was great for them until their pressure went up near 20 and then it leaked a lot.

Best Regards,

PaytonA

[becker44a]

becker,

Will the Simplus mask remain leak free at 20 cm/H2O. Could you try that for me if you have not already? I am interested in Simplus but I need to have it maintain a seal at 20. Someone on the forum back some time ago said that the Simplus was great for them until their pressure went up near 20 and then it leaked a lot.

Best Regards,

PaytonA

Hi PaytonA,
I have tried the MaskFit function, which I believe will put the pressure up to the max, and since my settings are 10-20, it should have gone up to 20. As I recall, it may have had some leak, but not much. Of course, there is no data recorded for such a test, but my impression is it did pretty well. Since I no longer sleep on my back, my pressures are rarely up in the area you are interested in. I have looked back thru my Sleepyhead data, and found a few days where my pressure went up in the 17 - 17.5 range. When I looked at the leak graph, I found some leaks, but not at the point of the peak pressure. I went back to a few days prior to starting the Simplus trial, and the leak graph is showing constant low-level jitter. When I selected days with the Simplus, the leak graph spends a lot of time sitting at zero.

I don't know your situation, but I chose to disregard insurance, and trial the Simplus as soon as I got a copy of my Rx. I used Supplier #26, and they allow a return for full refund for up to 30 days. It was such an improvement, there's no way I was going to return it. I'll use insurance for replacement cushions, etc. as time progresses. Also, there is a sizing guide available for this mask. You just download and print the .pdf (making sure it is set for 100%). They also included a 1"x1" square so you can be sure it is right. Then you cut out and try one or more of the guides, and see which one fits best. Worked well for me.

Since no two faces really match, my favorable experience or someone else's negative result may have nothing to do with how it might work for you. If you can arrange it, I would recommend a trial.

Good luck, and I hope this is useful info.

[PaytonA]

Absolutely, very useful. Thank you very much for all of it. I am well aware that what may work for one person will not necessarily work for another. I am currently using the Mirage Quattro which has worked well for me at my 20 cm pressure. I have heard others complain bitterly about not being able to get the MQ to quit leaking. I will trial it and see.

Best Regards,

PaytonA

[robysue]

There are studies that link CPAP use to higher than normal risk for developing glaucoma, and as near as I can tell, this risk is independent of mask type. There are also studies that link glaucoma and (untreated) sleep apnea, although the connection is complex and it is not clear if OSA somehow "causes" glaucoma.

The main study I'm aware of is at:

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Therapy Is Associated with an Increase in Intraocular Pressure in Obstructive Sleep Apnea] published in the clinical research journal IOVS (Investigative ophthalmology & visual science) back in 2008. The main recommendation that came out of this study can be summarized as: Since CPAP machines make a big difference in both quality of life for OSA sufferers and an overall reduction in the risk of a host of other health problems, it is important to screen CPAPers frequently for glaucoma so that proper treatment of glaucoma can be started as soon as possible if a PAPer is unlucky enough to develop glaucoma while on PAP. The paper makes it clear that a higher risk for glaucoma is NOT a reason to discontinue PAP, and it also makes it clear that developing glaucoma while on PAP is NOT a reason to discontinue PAP.

There are a host of other studies out there that look at the possible connections between glaucoma and sleep apnea OR between glaucoma and PAP therapy for sleep apnea. Some useful links include:

Nasal CPAP during wakefulness increases intraocular pressure in glaucoma published in 1994

Evaulation of Intra-Ocular Pressure in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSA) Before and After One Month of CPAP therapy published in a Netherlands journal in 2005.[/url]

Normal-tension glaucoma and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: a prospective study published in 2014.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Increased Risk of Glaucoma published in 2012. (Only the abstract is available for free.)

New Research Suggests Glaucoma Screenings for Sleep Apnea Sufferers published in 2013.

Primary open-angle glaucoma is associated with sleep apnea syndrome. published in 2000.

[PsychoMike]

Thanks Robysue

PaytonA, I agree with Becker that you need to try it to know. In my case I found the Simplus was plenty comfortable, but it tended to leak at my chin far below 20 cm H20 and it just wasn't something I could get the upper hand on. It wasn't a serious leak for me, but it was annoying enough to disrupt my sleep. As Becker says, YMMV...so try to get a trial of one if you can.

[Natasha Kleinhans]

Hi, I also have allot of pressure on my eyes but that is because of Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH). Allot of patients diagnosed with IIH like me, also have Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Now IIH means that you have too much spinal fluid accumulating around your brain (Either because it is over producing or not absorbing it like it should). So with this pressure on your brain it also causes pressure on your eyes. It is a known fact that you could go blind because of Intracranial Hypertension if left untreated. Usually the pressure causes papilledema. But the only way they can diagnose you with IIH is, if they do a spinal tap or if they do a MRI and you have a significant amount of pressure on your brain. Other symptoms include Headaches, Tinnitus (ringing in the ears), Nausea, lightheaded. So just want to say if you have pressure on your eyes, get checked out, as specially if you have some of the symptoms that I mentioned. ;-)