anyone else having this trouble with masks?

[mytrueaccount]

Since last June I've been struggling with recurring eye infections and ear infections, neither of which has ever bothered me before. Needless to say I haven't been able to see my doctors, who have been phone consultation only since last March. But it has become very evident that there's a correlation between outbreaks and days when I've had to wear a face mask for more than a few hours eg, a long commute in to work and then having to wear a mask at work. This because I wear glasses, and things steam up heavily maybe it doesn't help I'm menopausal! (Lord knows how medical workers manage all day --)
But: there's no official way to register as exempt from mask-wearing -- I checked the government website. Also it seems so petty to do it for such non-emergencies. I don't want to scare everyone around me. (I AM double-vaccinated.) And yet, both are very painful. And each eye infection means I find it hard to read for days; each ear infection makes it impossible to lie down to sleep. (Another group I have sympathy for: babies with ear infections! Now I get it!)
Anyway, I want to know: has anyone else had this problem of mask-related eye and ear infections. And whether or not, do you think it's mad selfish of me to consider cutting masks just for that?

It is detrimental to your health to keep wearing a mask (which is sounds like it is) then declare yourself exempt.
More people are ditching them anyway so I don't think you would get much agro.
I am unable to wear a mask, so I am always mindful of my distance from other people.

How frequently to you wash your masks?
Are you allergic to your washing liquid/fabric conditioner or are they washed infrequently and a breeding ground for infections?

Apparently wearing masks had given me rosacea for which I now have an antibiotic gel. I booked a phone consultation and was asked to submit photos of my "maskne" beforehand.

So it wouldn't surprise me if your issues are also linked.

You know what Im going to say don't you?

Have another crack at seeing the quack.

Oh and I'm avoiding the problem by largely avoiding doing anything that requires me to wear a mask. I hated them before this but my poor burny face has put the tin lid on it.

I wash my masks every day; if it's a day with lots of mask-wearing I change them in between if I can. I don't think it's the detergent, in the sense that it's one I've used a long time for other stuff, but it's true I can be reactive to a lot of perfumes and detergents, and I did also try changing the detergent; made no difference. I also tried that metal nose clip thing to reduce steam between mask and glasses.

I suspect I will figure this out just when masks go out of use officially! It's a bit ridiculous, isn't it, in the middle of a pandemic to worry about eye infections. But ouch...

I get a scabby nose repeatedly. From the drying effect of masks I presume. Unfortunately I work in a hospital so 8 hours plus a day for me, no exemptions

Just stop wearing masks - DH and I have. Buy a sunflower lanyard with an "I am exempt" card for a couple of quid off Amazon if you're worried about snotty looks/comments

I've stopped wearing one. No-one cares.
I don't even have a reason, I'm just fed up of it now.

Try masks with a really good nose strip. They should contour around your nose and across your cheeks tightly. Thin wires seem best to me but everyone is different. You glasses should rest on your mask not behind it - the breath going over the front of the lens is worse for fogging.

However, I can't see how a mask would cause eye infections unless they are sitting extremely close to the eye area and even less likely to cause ear infections.

Do you wipe/rub your eyes when your glasses fog? That may be introducing bacteria? Try washing your hands/using gel and try to avoid touching your eye area at all if you can.

Ear infections the only possible thing I can think is that they are pulled too tight around your ear and it it closing up your ear canal somewhat?

Things like rubbing and drying make sense - I really suffered the day after I had dermabladed my face and had to wear a mask for 11 hours. But ear infections seems very strange?

Just stop wearing the stupid things. The vast majority don't pass any standard at preventing viral spread and the vaccination is working well at protecting more vulnerable groups.

I haven't worn a covering since January when the panic attacks wearing the visor reached a level where I scratched my face to bleeding. It was more than enough times meeting the "severe distress" criteria. I've just had one person in a shop being a mildly shirty (I was already standing well back anyway)

There's no prizes for regularly causing yourself harm and the government did have the modicum of sense to keep the exemption guidelines open.

Yes. Wearing masks, in the heat especially, give me eye soreness and ear infections.

I thought this was just me!

I already have ear trouble but it’s stable now until I wear a mask for longish periods. It must be to do with breathing back in hot and germy air.

And the eye thing - hot germy air being blown up into your eyes.

I’ve had to reduce the time wearing masks now.

I get a very sore, red eye if I wear a mask for more than an hot or two. I don't know why but it's definitely connected. Perhaps because I'm drying my eye out by breathing all over it (they obviously stop breath escaping, don't they? ).
Also had a terrible sinus infection which seemed to spread onto the outside of my nose in the winter (I had a very red, painful nose in addition to the sinus issue and was prescribed a week long course I mod strong antibiotics to clear it.) Masks are great, huh?

HOUR or two. . And OF strong antibiotics....

face shield?

It's damaging your health. You ARE exempt. Surely repeated eye infections and ear infections are putting you at risk in other ways?

I wear glasses and don't get this, but I use disposable masks with nose wire. Is there any difference if you use disposables?

@Slub

Just stop wearing masks - DH and I have. Buy a sunflower lanyard with an "I am exempt" card for a couple of quid off Amazon if you're worried about snotty looks/comments

Yeah those people with hidden disabilities have their uses eh? total pisstake of that lanyard and what it's for.

Thank you for posting this OP.

My ear issue stems from the eustachian tube not working properly on one side. It's the tube that connects your nose with your ear and throat. I can feel that it's that that's clogging up with breathing in the hot dirty air from the mask - and know it's making my ear infected.

But even still I thought I was being daft - I'm going to stop wearing them for more than a shop visit now.

I don’t know about ear infections but could you be getting mask associated dry eye ( I think that’s what’s it’s called) I think the theory is that breathed out warm air can be driven up into to your eyes by a poorly fitted mask (rather than as nature intended downwards) and dries them out. I struggled in the early months of mask wearing ( I have dry eyes anyway). Getting a good fit over the nose helps -( with the wire bridge- or caught under my glasses) and increasing the use of tear drops - seems to have helped. Dry eyes can make the eyes sore red and uncomfortable, but may not be what you are getting? I also get a very stuffy crusty nose- I’m still trying to ease that one!

Nephew went to a large supermarket yesterday and said only about 50% of people were wearing masks. Those that are often have them under their chins or noses. Ive only worn one once and it was a taxi on my way to my nephews. The driver could not see (because it was dark) that it was made of black lace and I may as well have not been wearing it. The driver on the way back said he didnt care. I bought an "exempt" lanyard somewhere online but have never needed it.

@Slub

Just stop wearing masks - DH and I have. Buy a sunflower lanyard with an "I am exempt" card for a couple of quid off Amazon if you're worried about snotty looks/comments

That is bloody outrageous please tell me this is a joke

I've had to wear full PPE including mask and visor 12 hours a day for a year and haven't had any detrimental side effects. I'm 60 with a variety of health conditions.
I think you are being ridiculous. Maybe try changing the kind of mask you wear some of them are too thick.

Sadly no, I refuse to see people who come into my clinic not wearing a mask properly. They do kick off but I don't care.

I have to wear a mask all day at work. I find the medical blue/white masks far better for eyes and nose issues than the cloth ones I use when not at work. Far less fogging of glasses. Cloth ones also seem to give me a headache. I can think of plenty of reasons that prolonged wear could cause problems, so perhaps try the disposable ones if you do still want to wear something in situations where distance isn’t an option.
Equally there are definitely more people not bothering at all. I stay well back and let them crack on, while quietly seething that I don’t have a choice at work.

Shehasadiamondinthesky, what about those who are exempt?