Do you open your eyes in the ocean?

[lwronk]

Hello. I have been reading a lot the last couple of days. Today I decided to register and reply.

The salt water in the ocean does not burn the eyes, it is the sun screen you put on your face, I was told by a scuba instrutor.

In the open water class I had to remove my mask, well before I cleared it I open my eyes. My eyes did not burn, sting and I did not have sunscreen on my face.

I was also told by my ow scuba instructor that the eye drops people put in there eyes is really salt water.

 

[ihunter]

On my OW cert, I didn't wear sunscreen, and the first bit of water that got in stung, but once I flooded/ditched it didn't sting after that. Maybe it was the sweat that stung? (We had a 250+yd swim from the beach)

Ian

 

[rakjar]

We all know what a mask is used for. Why would you want to go without one or flood one on purpose to see if you can see in saltwater.

Buy a good mask and don't worry about whether or not you should.

 

[Aquatic Eagle]

This is just my opinion from my personal experience. I personally can open my eyes underwater in the ocean and have no problem with losing my contacts. Yes I do recommend that you clean them soon after the exposure to salt water because I have had problems with the contact sticking. When I said that salt water was pretty much the same as the solution you put in your eyes, I meant that they are close. They aren't exactly the same mixture, the saline solution has less of a concentration of salt in them but it's the same basic idea. My vision is 20/600 so I need them to see also, I wouldn't lie. This is all my personal opinion from my personal experience. Also rakjar, I think this is mainly for those situations that you don't plan, they just happen.

 

[paulwlee]

I always thought seawater would sting too, just because a trickle of seawater stung, but once I opened my eyes underwater it was just fine. I'd even say it was more comfortable than fresh(pool) water. But then again, if you do that too long in 48F water, you are going to get one nasty headache!! :wacko:

 

[blackice]

what about diving in Evian?

the ocean does sting a bit and yes its annoying but not life threating.

a pool seems so more chemical and un natural.

 

[bermudaskink]

In Bermuda, the ocean is saltier than most other places (something to do with the circualtion of the sargasso sea and high evaporation/ low intermixing with lower salt concentrations... )

I open my eyes in the water when I am swimming at it is fine.

My first few years of diving. I would not open my eyes. I had never done it since a near drowning experience in a pool as a kid. I just found it hard to will myself to open my eyes. It felt so unatural (like peeing into bottle, no matter how bad you want to go, your body just wont!).

One evening though, after a few beers (I know that isn't a really good thing to say!) I plucked up the courage to open them in a swimming pool. Due to the dutch courage. It was fine. I swam around in the pool with my opens a lot and when I came to doing it sober... I could tell myself I had already done it and it was fine, and so when I did open my eyes, it was much easier.

Now I can open them whenever I want to and it doesn't sting at all in the sea. Here or anywhere else.

Rakjar - it is good to practice opening your eyes under the water. If your mask gets kicked off by a stroke, or the strap breaks, you'll need to go look for it. Being confident with your mask off and eyes open underwater is very valuable IMO.

 

[JustinW]

When I open my eyes in the ocean here, it stings, but thats just because the water seems bitterly cold on my skin, I guess thats north coast diving in CA. Actually, the saltwater doesn't bother me at all, even from my first time because it is so close to the salinity of tears. It bugs me more in freshwater. It isn't supposed to bother the human eye much. Cold water and fresh water are the bad stuff for me.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Justin699 once bubbled...
because it is so close to the salinity of tears

Ever wonder where popular myths get started? Or why they seem to have a life of their own... you just can't kill 'em?
Blood, sweat (before it begins evaporating) and tears all have a salinity of about 0.9%. Sea water is at least three times as salty, and in many places four times as salty - overall average is around 3.3 - 3.5 % salinity.
---
As for the original question, I've never noticed any discomfort opening my eyes in the ocean. Or in fresh water either (swimming pools excepted).
Rick

 

[Bob]

Ocean water doesn't sting my eyes, but I've been in swimming pools that have. I also wear contacts, but never when I dive. I leave the contacts at home and wear my glasses. To me, it's a common sense thing, I don't want to take the chance of losing one or both of my contacts. :tree: Bob