mask size --( I'm new here)

Hi - I am newly diagnosed with sleep apnea. I had a home study (insurance would not cover an in lab one ). My results were severe-ahi 90 . And I feel dumb , but I don't remember all the numbers they gave me on the phone _ I thought they said 681 episodes that night. I am using a Philips Dreamstation machine, with Resmed quatro fx. When I picked up the machine they gave me a medium mask I did put it on for a minute and she said it was fine. I used it for about 10 days but it really felt big and kinda covered my eyelids in my sleep. I found a site online telling how to measure for a mask ( they never measured me at the place ) and it did show I needed a small . I switched the mask ., but now I have the dry eye,red eye waking to adjust more . I have access to my minor data on sleepmappper , and oddly both masks show a good fit and my ahi is low. I am thinking on whether to order eye coverage or how to know which mask to use. Any advice woyld be appreciated. Thankas

Welcome! As I mention to most new folks, go to the drop down menu next to the search icon and choose a less awkward username. Next the mask... sounds like you went to my med eqpt company. Here you go fella, this should work; you will figure it out. Well, I didn't. I don't have any idea how you sleepmapper software measures mask leaks but it does sound like you are getting some extra air in your eyes OR the exhaust holes on your mask are exhausting air into your eyes. Dunno but the size of a mask is fairly critical and has little to do with how big your face is but more the conformation of your face. I was initially issued an Amara View mask and couldn't use it; wasn't size in this case but the fact that my jaw was slackening during sleep when I relaxed and I ended up with the bottom of the mask in my mouth. OK... try a different style mask and it is an F&P Simplus. I am fairly large and have a fairly broad face and the med supply place figured a medium would be the right size. Trying one on meant you had to open a box and they don't like to do that. So... struggled with mask leak for ages then discovered MASK PADS by Remzzzz (not sure the right number of z's... poor marketing to make a name so dumb). Anyway, no more air in the eyes and mask leaks became manageable. I did end up with the bottom edge of the mask in my mouth at times and that was a sure ticket to a zillion AHI. Found the martial arts mouth and no more chin drop or sag. Fixed the problem. My upper nose is narrow and found that I could use the mask without mask pads. After all that I tried the first mask I received (Amara View) using my mouth guard and it is far more comfortable and I now use it the majority of the time. A consideration on the air in the eye issue is the pressure they have your machine set to. What mode is it? CPAP, BIPAP, APAP, etc? What pressure(s). The med supply place set it up so they can tell you. A lot of pressure and small leaks (as you are getting into your eyes) are a real possibility.

Hi Diplomatic, if the medium mask is covering your eyelids during sleep there a good chance it's too large of a mask for you. When you describe dry eye, red eye it sounds like the mask is leaking air into your eyes. perhaps you will need to make some adjustments to the headgear to get this leak to stop. Like wiredgeorge mentions mask liners can sometimes help with this issue. You're tracking your sleep which is good and ahi and leaks are low according to software so that is good. but getting the eye problem corrected would be helpful.