Burning Eyes

tormat · Aug 30, 2014

Hello,

My wife has always had trouble with opening her eyes underwater, it makes her eyes burn. Now that we dive whenever she gets water in her mask her eyes will burn, and she will have trouble seeing (burning and tearing up). Does anyone have any suggestions? This happens in both fresh and salt water.

I really want her to enjoy diving and this is a hurtle.

Thanks!

scuba5150 · Aug 30, 2014

The problem may be sunscreen she's wearing. The water may wash sunscreen from her forehead or face into her eyes which can burn like crazy.

g1138 · Aug 30, 2014

If you can, splash water from the dive site on your face and rub with your palms over your closed eyes. Pad dry with a towel afterwards, then don mask and go diving.
The cold CA water also get's you acclimated and can prevent fogging from a warm face.

This will get rid of some sunscreen, makeup, etc etc to avoid having it wash into your eyes when your mask floods.
Further prevention, if you were a racoon, don't apply anything where the black fur around your eyes would be; sunscreen, makeup, anything.

flots am · Aug 30, 2014

tormat:
Hello,

My wife has always had trouble with opening her eyes underwater, it makes her eyes burn. Now that we dive whenever she gets water in her mask her eyes will burn, and she will have trouble seeing (burning and tearing up). Does anyone have any suggestions? This happens in both fresh and salt water.

I really want her to enjoy diving and this is a hurtle.

Thanks!

Is this in the pool?

The chemicals are sometimes not measured properly and are too strong.

Dive Right In Scuba 2 · Aug 30, 2014

Is she using a commercial mask de-fogging product? As strange as it sounds I had burning eyes on a dive trip and it turned out to be a new brand of mask de-fogger I just started using. I ceased use of that specific product and alas no more stinging eyes. Also, like the above posts it could be sunscreen.

chillyinCanada · Aug 30, 2014

Is your wife wearing any eye makeup when she dives? This also can run into eyes making them sting like the Dickens.

How are you/your wife prepping her mask for anti-fog? If using a purchased anti-fog, some people's eyes react to that as well.

Myself, sunscreen running into eyes is excruciating; can't use purchased anti-fog drops nor even washing with babyshampoo.

diver 85 · Aug 30, 2014

Possibly 'deeper' trouble like DES(dry eye syndrome)..Get it checked @ your local eye doctor----should be able to determine that fairly easily..If so, great eye drops out now to combat this(very common---esp in females) problem...That would be my guess, anyway.....good luck, let us know what ya'll find out.....

TMHeimer · Aug 30, 2014

If the fresh water is not a pool (ei., lake, etc.), I'd think there is reason to be concerned & see a Dr. I don't mind the little sting of salt water, but just out of curiousity I recently flooded and cleared my mask with my eyes closed. This greatly reduced the sting. Only took me 9 years to think of that.

DogDiver · Aug 30, 2014

She might try a mask with a purge valve. It's easier to remove water inside with one. A good bet is your mask defogger.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

tormat · Sep 3, 2014

Wow, great responses! She always has on sunscreen, and that could be a cause. She does not generally wear any makeup.

She tells me it happens even when swimming so the mask defogger is less likely, though it could add to it, we will look into that.

We will also talk to a Dr. (no docs in the area do anything with scuba so I thought if we asked here we could go in with the correct questions) about dry eyes, I know that her sister has dry eyes so its a possibility as well.

Any more ideas are greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Burning Eyes

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