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

[ivobj]

no problem to open my eyes underwater

 

[shawrg]

I recently started wearing disposable contacts to improve my underwater vision. I was curious to see what would happen to the contacts if I ever lost my mask, so on a recent dive, I removed & replaced it several times with my eyes closed, squinting & open without loosing one......yet

 

[rte203]

Ive been wearing Contacts for 35 years, My eyes are very sensitive to water, The water makes them feel Dry after clearing, It hurts my eyes, even if I keep them closed and then reopen after Ive cleard they still hurt, like I have sand in them I have'nt completed my check out dives yet, Im worried... Anybody else deal wiith this?

 

[it_mike]

I have not problem keeping them open, yet answered 'Depends'. I guess I automatically close my eyes, then open them if needed.

 

[soamelt]

I dive salt and my eyes burn pretty badly if I get any salt water in my eyes. I'm surprised at how many people do open them in saltwater without too much of a problem. It must be one if those things like spicey foods. Some people can eat a scoch bonnet without a problem, others can't handle black pepper. I always assumed that if it bothered me as badly as it does it must bother everone else just as much.

 

[Darcey]

Well, I guess I'm not really sure. I've only opened my eyes once underwater and that was during my OW checkouts when I freaked during the mask removal. I have soft contacts and was told by my eye doc who is also a diver that they won't come out and he was right. I'm just afraid of my eyes burning in the pool. I really need to get used to opening my eyes since I can't stand having them closed when doing a mask removal. I flip out if I can't see and I have a hard time breathing through my reg and have to mentally tell myself "in through the mouth...out through the mouth". (Stupid psychological hang-ups!) Plus I think I'll do better demonstrating the skill as a DM if I can open my eyes and see the students.

 

[Laustimus]

I never stopped to think that anyone would have an issue with opening their eyes underwater. As kids we all swam underwater, and dived for objects.

Me too but... You stopped when you became an adult?

 

[Kellykins]

When i swim, I have my eyes open in the water anyways. But depends...! In the pool, when I done the swimming without the mask I swam with my eyes open, but when it came to putting the mask back on i closed them...

 

[MSilvia]

I really need to get used to opening my eyes since I can't stand having them closed when doing a mask removal. I flip out if I can't see and I have a hard time breathing through my reg and have to mentally tell myself "in through the mouth...out through the mouth". (Stupid psychological hang-ups!) Plus I think I'll do better demonstrating the skill as a DM if I can open my eyes and see the students.

I don't mean to be critical, but I'm surprised a DM candidate would have any issues with mask removal at all. I'd think you'd want to be WAY more comfortable than that before taking responsibility for others.

 

[Darcey]

I don't mean to be critical, but I'm surprised a DM candidate would have any issues with mask removal at all. I'd think you'd want to be WAY more comfortable than that before taking responsibility for others.

Sorry to come off harsh and pissed off but please don't judge or be critical before you know someone's entire situation. My only issue with mask removal is having my freaking eyes closed. I thought I made that clear. I can take my mask of underwater with no issues at all except for having to remember to keep breathing through my mouth. I can swim the entire length of the pool and then some with no mask and make it look like the easiest thing in the world but due to a horrible experience when I got my OW I sometimes have to think about breathing as soon as the mask comes off. After it's off and I'm breathing I have no problems. If I wasn't capable of taking responsibility for others my instructor would never let me start DM. Quite frankly I think that the issues I used to have with mask removal that I had to learn to overcome will make me a damn good DM since I know what others may be going through and can give them options on how to get over their fear...especially since mask removal is one of the top issues students have.

:focus: