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Dry Eye Routines / CPAP
CPAP keeps you breathing well at night, but air leaking from the mask can blow across your eyes and dry them out by morning. A few changes protect your eyes without disrupting your therapy. Here is the routine.
Key takeaways
Quick answer
Reduce mask air leaks with a better fit, wear a moisture chamber sleep mask to shield your eyes, use a gel or ointment at bedtime, and keep a preservative-free drop by the bed. If mornings stay dry, see an eye doctor.
Start with the mask leak, then protect the eye surface overnight.
Air leaking from the mask, often near the nose bridge, can blow across the eyes overnight and dry them out. A better seal or a different mask can reduce this, so ask your sleep provider.
A moisture chamber sleep mask sits over the eyes and protects them from the airflow while holding moisture around them.
Use a preservative-free gel or ointment at bedtime so the eye stays coated through the night, even if some air still reaches it.
Keep a preservative-free drop by the bed for morning dryness. If mornings stay dry, see an eye doctor, since CPAP dryness can overlap with MGD or incomplete lid closure.
What the airflow does
CPAP mask air leaks can blow pressurized air across the eyes overnight, increasing tear evaporation and causing evaporative dry eye, and moisture chamber masks can help shield the eyes.
Source: peer-reviewed reviews of obstructive sleep apnea, CPAP, and dry eye. Full citation at the end of this page.
The CPAP routine pairs a moisture mask that blocks the airflow with overnight protection and a morning drop. These are the best sellers in Nighttime Relief, alongside the products this guide names. Descriptions are the manufacturer's own.
What it is: A smooth and easy-to-apply eye ointment to ease the symptoms of night-time...
SleepTite/SleepRite™ – Nighttime Relief for Inadequate Lid Seal (ILS) Single-Use, Hypoallergenic Lid Seals for Improved...
EyeSeals 4.0™ Moisture Retention Sleep Shields – Available in Clear & Charcoal Ultimate Nighttime Protection...
Quartz & Onyix Silicone Shields – Nighttime Dry Eye Protection & CPAP Compatibility Soft, Foam-Free...
Refresh PM Lubricant Eye Ointment (3.5g) – Nighttime Dry Eye Relief Long-Lasting Moisture & Protection...
OPTASE® HYLO® Relief Dry Eye Drops A New Innovation for Relief of Mild to Moderate...
Moisture chamber sleep masks that shield the eyes from mask airflow.
Gels, ointments and overnight devices that protect the surface until morning.
Preservative-free drops to keep by the bed for the morning.
Dry Eye Rescue Tip
Do not stop or loosen your CPAP to fix your eyes. Treat the eyes directly with a moisture mask and overnight lubrication, and work on the mask leak with your sleep provider.
An eye doctor can check whether MGD or incomplete lid closure is adding to the dryness. Dry Eye Rescue works with a network of over 5,000 eye care professionals who can find the cause of your dryness and tailor your care. Use the Doctor Locator to find one near you.
Keep reading, or go back to all the routines.
A gel or ointment at bedtime, and a moisture mask if your lids do not close fully.
Read the guide
A drop, a warm compress and lid hygiene, for mild to moderate dry eye.
Read the guide
Causes, testing, treatment and everyday care.
Read the guide
What an assessment actually involves.
Read the guideYes. Air leaking from the mask can blow across the eyes overnight, increasing tear evaporation and causing evaporative dry eye, often worst in the morning.
No. CPAP is important for your health. Treat the eyes directly with a moisture mask and overnight lubrication, and work on the mask leak with your sleep provider.
A better fitting mask or a different style can reduce leaks, often near the nose bridge. Your sleep provider can help adjust the fit.
It is a soft sleep mask that sits over the eyes, blocking the airflow and holding moisture around them through the night.
A preservative-free gel or ointment at bedtime keeps the surface coated overnight, even if some air still reaches the eyes.
Overnight airflow and slower tear production during sleep dry the surface, so symptoms peak when you wake.
Yes. CPAP dryness can overlap with MGD or incomplete lid closure. An eye doctor can check for these.
Use the Dry Eye Rescue Doctor Locator to find an eye care professional near you from our network of over 5,000 providers.
Sources
This page is educational and does not replace advice from your eye care professional. Individual needs vary, and persistent or worsening symptoms should be evaluated by a professional. Follow the product label. Do not change your CPAP therapy without speaking to the provider who manages it. Product and brand names referenced are trademarks of their respective owners.
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