Mask Squeeze

[raj]

Hi, I'm new to scubaboard. I an a novice diver. I went yesterday with a group and experienced the horrible mask squeeze. I understand that it is a minor problem but I am flying tomorrow and am wondering if the pressure on the airplane during take-off or landing will effect my mask squezze symptoms or do any damage to my eyes or vision.

Any reports today would be nice, thanks.

raj

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

Did you try to exhale through your nose at all during the dive?

 

[Scubakevdm]

Hi, I'm new to scubaboard. I an a novice diver. I went yesterday with a group and experienced the horrible mask squeeze. I understand that it is a minor problem but I am flying tomorrow and am wondering if the pressure on the airplane during take-off or landing will effect my mask squezze symptoms or do any damage to my eyes or vision.

Any reports today would be nice, thanks.

raj

It won't make it any worse. How bad does it look?

 

[raj]

It won't make it any worse. How bad does it look?

well the new color of my eyes are blood.they also are pretty sore

 

[MyDiveLog]

I've seen new divers get a "mask hickey" and one that actually ended up looking like they're lost a fight. Remember to exhale through your nose oin the future to equalize the mask squeeze.

Will the flight hurt you? I'm no doctor, but logic tells me: Probably not badly, but there's a risk that the ruptured blood vessels may re-rupture due to the pressure change upon ascending or descending. They pressurize airplanes faster then you'd typically descend.

If you DO fly be sure to be well hydrated: The air in the airplane is dry, which dehydrates you. You nasal and eye blood vessels need to stay as moist as possible to remain flexible and not re-rupture.

 

[gemdiver]

It was on my first dive and for the life of me, I couldn't remember what to do when my mask started to suction to my face. It got to the point where I was actually wondering if my eyeballs were going to pop out of my head, it hurt!

I was lucky and I exhaled through my nose before I did damage to my eyes themselves. I ended up with broken blood vessels all around my eyes. My friends thought I was wearing purple eye shadow all the way up to my eye brows.

You're eyes will be sore for a while, sorry I don't have more advice.

 

[DandyDon]

Howdy!

Welcome to SB!! :happywave Put us in your computer's favorites and check in often. This is a great place to learn, compare, argue Look around our various forums - everything from New-To-Scuba to Instructors-Only to Dive Medicine.

Perhaps you were overweighted and sinking too quickly. A good lesson to learn is to ascend on any squeeze. I learn all my lessons the hard way, too!

don

BTW - it would really help in future discussion if you'd complete your Profile. Click "User CP" upper left of this page, then go down to "Edit Profile."