Maskless vision?

[northernone]

Curious how well you see underwater without your mask. More importantly, how have you prepared for this unlikely situation?

Background: An old thread had a SB member who had near perfect vision underwater because his diopter matched the waters refraction, or something like that. I can read regular gauges and big numbers on my dive computer maskless. Some divers can't count fingers.

I grew up freediving eyes open maskless hunting and poking around like a kid so perhaps I've learned how to interpret the blur?

Cheers,
Cameron

P.s. poll choice edit suggestions welcome.

 

[admikar]

I voted, but it all depends on water. Pool water, I can't see s**t, sea water is OK if not too silty.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I just make bubble goggles if i have to see small things underwater without a mask.

 

[Blueringocto_73]

Blurry in the pool. No surprise there. The chlorine really is awful. In the ocean, the salt is a bit irritating but I can see better. Did a lot of skin diving as a kid and played around with taking off the mask. Exposed at a young age.

 

[RyanT]

Not sure what you mean by make out gauges in the poll. Does this mean read them? If so, I'm not quite there. I can see the dial on my spg, just can't read the numbers. At any rate, I carry a spare mask in my pocket.

 

[SeaHorse81]

I can see enough to count fingers but regardless of the water (pool, fresh, salt), it hurts my eyes so badly that I just keep them closed. I would keep them open if my life depended on it, but that's the only reason.

 

[dmaziuk]

I wonder if this is about playing in the water as a kid more than anything else (I did)

 

[packrat12]

Lost my mask at the surface in a strong current. Went to 80' before I felt I could try to put it back on. Read PPO2 and depth on my HUD and computer all the way down! Bright Shearwaters. Salt and pool water do not burn my eyes that bad.

 

[AdivingBel]

No problem with open eyes underwater. Probably from being in the water as a kid. My folks always complained I spent more time underwater than on top. I can see fingers for hand signals. I can't read the numbers on my spg, but I can see the needle. I know the scale, so I have a very good idea of the reading. Certainly good enough to end my dive safely. No spare mask underwater for warm water, recreational diving. I do carry a spare on the boat for multi-tank trips.

 

[SeaHorse81]

No problem with open eyes underwater. Probably from being in the water as a kid. My folks always complained I spent more time underwater than on top.

That's what everybody said about me. I always drove lifeguards nuts because I was so seldom at the surface where they could keep an eye on me.

Didn't help with the eyes, however.