Do you keep your eyes open when your mask is off under water?

[Soggy_Diver]

I open my eyes, but squint to keep my contacts in.

If I do this in pool water, I take them out and change them afterward, because soft contacts absorb cholorine and hold it on the surface of the eye.

 

[DiverLS]

When I used a prescription mask, I could open my eyes underwater but not ocean water. Now that I wear contacts, it's keep em closed.

 

[NJ to FLA]

Then they get stuck and rip the cornea off when you blink ! But are they okay in salt water?? I guess that makes sense because it is similar to tears and saliva?

 

[friscuba]

I'd be tempted to keep them closed in some pools I've been in. Other than that it's open.

I get a lot of students and divers on the boat who don't want to open their eyes underwater "because their eyes are stinging" - more often than not, it's not the salt water, it's the suntan lotion they're covered in. Yesterday I lotioned up about 30 minutes before the dive and my eyes were stinging early on too... had to remove my mask and rinse my eyes for several seconds to relieve it.

 

[MSilvia]

It doesn't bother me to have my eyes open. Unless it's just for a quick mask clear, I'd rather be able to see poorly than not at all.

 

[tstormdiver]

As a kid I used to swim all the time without goggles or a mask. Now I can not even begin to open my eyes in a pool. That chlorine stings waaaaay too much. Fresh or salt water is OK.

 

[mkutyna]

I used to open my eyes all the time but then I started wearing contacts so I don't anymore. I've lost 3-4 of them in the pool and it gives me one hell of a headache when one pops out and the other is still in.

 

[Rhone Man]

I've got contacts so I'll be pretty much blind if I lose them in the water!

+1. Unless it is a real emergency, my eyes stay closed.

 

[Misa]

Depends, I close eyes in certain conditions (eg salt, cold, particles)

its wierd to stay with eyes open in Red Sea.

 

[Soggy_Diver]

Then they get stuck and rip the cornea off when you blink ! But are they okay in salt water?? I guess that makes sense because it is similar to tears and saliva?

I haven't had a problem blinking with my contacts after getting them wet. If they are dry or sticky, I put some lens drops on them to moisten them before taking them out. I understand that when the lenses get wet, there is some risk of bacterial infection, because the contacts hold bacteria on the eye.