Flooding your mask with Contacts??

[xyrandomyx]

I've never actually have that occur yet. If I had one of those "can't stand it itches", my mask would be off in a heart beat.

I couldn't get clearing my mask right in my OW course. I kept on getting panicky and wanting to head for the surface as soon I felt water getting up my nose. I was almost ready to convince myself that diving did sound like that much fun, but decided to push on after a few other people told me they'd also had some trouble with it at first. After an extra pool session just to work on that, I got it to the point where I was sure I wouldn't panic if my mask was lost or flooded somehow, but still really didn't like the feeling.

Then, on my first dive after getting certified, I got an incredibly itchy nose. I automatically jammed two fingers into my mask to scratch it, flooded it completely. And, pretty much just as automatically cleared it and kept on going. I was silently laughing to myself for the rest of the dive about how much of a big deal a flooded mask had seemed a few weeks before.

Anyway, sorry for veering quite a bit off-topic...

 

[EFB]

Thanks for all the replies and great ideas.

As for what I am freaked out about...not really sure..scared I will open my eyes and there will be a shark staring at me All kidding aside, I am so new at this, everything freaks me out. Asking me to do more than handle the breathing is asking a lot. That's why I was really looking forward to a 5 week course instead of a 2 hour crash course. Its amazing what I have learned about diving through reading books and this forum since I came back from vacation.

The funny thing about losing the contact..I knew it had to be trapped in the mask because it made out after I had flooded the mask.

My vision is pretty awful so not wearing the contacts is not an option. I will admit I hadn't thought about the fact that if I had a prescription mask, I would not be able to see on the boat without it.

OH..and I hadn't thought about the water up the nose thing until it was mentioned.

That's why I appreciate forums..lots of great ideas.

Thanks again

 

[2 Big 2 Fail]

I did change contacts for underwater activities. Doctor recommended I use dailies. Not sure if they are thinner and stick to your eyes more. Give those a try to see.

I suspect the advice to use dailies was intended to avoid reusing lenses contaminated with water borne organisms, as is sometimes warned against. I don't know how big a deal that really is. As most contact wearers have found, they are warned of some things that don't happen much. Of course, permeable lenses have more potential for that problem than the original non-permeable hard lenses that most of us used to rewet with saliva. I'm sure that putting any contact lenses through a good active cleaning routine is a good idea after exposure to questionable water.

 

[irishsquid]

Thanks for all the replies and great ideas.
...The funny thing about losing the contact..I knew it had to be trapped in the mask ...

I can usually see mine if it pops out, which isn't often. Looks like a little jellyfish stuck to the lens. What usually will cause one of mine to come out is wet eyelashes. I'm cursed with a woman's dream: I have naturally super long eyelashes and sometimes they actually will curl back to flip the contact out.

...My vision is pretty awful so not wearing the contacts is not an option. I will admit I hadn't thought about the fact that if I had a prescription mask, I would not be able to see on the boat without it.

OH..and I hadn't thought about the water up the nose thing until it was mentioned.

That's why I appreciate forums..lots of great ideas.

Thanks again

One of the reasons I went with contacts is so I don't have to carry my glasses or wear a prescription mask when on the surface. I need them to read.
To keep water out of my nose I just slightly exhale through my nose. The pressure keeps water from going up the snout.