leaking from eye?

I've searched, but all the eye-related posts seem to be about leaks blowing into one's eye. I have a slightly different problem: leaking from my tear ducts.

As a kid, I was able to hold my nose, blow real hard, and make air come out of my left tear duct.

As an adult using xPAP, I've just discovered I still have the ability! Last night with my new mask, I occasionally noticed bubbles of air forming under my left eyelid. It wasn't enough to be worried about, either in terms of leakage or potential eye problems, but it did make me wonder if anyone else had this problem, and what, if anything, could be done about it?

YES how weird is this? Lying in bed, feeling an occasional pop as a bubble escapes from your eyelid...

I found that if I rub along the side of my nose, up to my eye and rub my eye a bit to sort of collapse the tear duct, it stops it long enough for me to fall asleep.

In other eye related news, often times when I rub my eye thoroughly it squeeks. Grosses everyone out, so naturally I like it.

Ramma2 wrote: In other eye related news, often times when I rub my eye thoroughly it squeeks. Grosses everyone out, so naturally I like it.

Lots of folks have this, including myself. As a result I have to use drops for dry eyes. One more $%#^ thing.

I wonder if it is affected by the pressure and type of mask. It seems to me that the nasal pillows type of mask blows the air straight into the tear duct with better aim and force than a ffm, which would be more diffuse, especially if you breathe through your mouth. I would change to a ffm to test this, except that when I have tried a ffm I get more leaks and some of them go straight into my eyes. Not a good test for me. What are ya gonna do?

Catnapper - Joanie

sifr wrote: As a kid, I was able to hold my nose, blow real hard, and make air come out of my left tear duct.

Ah ha! Didn't your mom tell you stop that or you wouldn't be able to use your xpap machine in 30 years?



This fellow should not experience any of the eye symptoms since all body ports on the head (except the ears) are at the same pressure.

Hi,

I have this happen from time to time. It would end up waking me up due to matter building up on my eye or eye lid, or causing a dry spot. It could be kind of painful. I have noticed that it helps greatly to increase the humidity. I was running on 1, but now run at 3 or 4 depending on the humidity in the air. I have also noticed that any air movement anywhere near my eyes drives me nuts.

-john-

That's why I keep eye drops in the night stand. Just reach over and lubricant those dry eyes in the dark.

I too have always been able to blow air from my eyes – it isn’t a leak from the tear duct, that’s just where the air appears to come out. You actually have a physical passage through your sinuses into the eye orbit. CPAP pressure forces air through this passage. The area near the tear duct is less well sealed than the rest of the eye and the air most easily escapes there.

I have this occur in both of my eyes. The only time it doesn’t occur is when I’m a bit stuffy; the swollen tissues close the passageway to the eyes.

The only real solution is a Total Face Mask – which covers the eyes and establishes the same pressure at both ends of the passage through the sinuses. The result is that no air (or mucus) moves through the passage and into the eye.