Pro Ear Mask

[rab1412000]

I just looked at the web site for the "ProEar" mask and I am prepared to describe it as a complete and utter fraud, snakeoil of the highest magnitude.

Here is their claim:

How the ProEar 2000 works

The ear cups cover the ears forming a watertight seal (once properly positioned and taking care to take out all excessive hair). Air is allowed into the ear cups when exhaling through the nose into the mask and then through the thin tubing which runs from the mask skirt into the ear cups passing through non return valves in the tube and into the ear cups. This allows the air space in the ear cups to equalize according to ambient pressure. The mask, ear cups and indeed the entire respiratory system become a closed circuit equalized air pressure system. The ear cups serve as a primary filter of ambient water pressure from the sea and the tubes mimic the Eustachian tubes allowing the diver to easily equalize the pressure in the ear cup before it ever reaches the ear drum.

​

Pray tell how do you "filter" ambient water pressure from the sea?"

How do you equalize the pressure in the ear cup before it ever reaches the ear drum? Pressure is constant for a given depth, there is no gradient, you can't intercept it on the way to its destination.

All the diver has to do is gently blow air through his nose to keep the ambient pressure (taken from the regulator) into the mask and ear cups. This creates a kind of 'buffering' effect that basically allows the ears to equalize in 2 stages. The first from the sea pressure into the ear cup and the second from the ear cup onto the eardrum.
​

This is some of the worst claptrap that I've ever read. That paragraph is semantically and scientifically empty.

The action of the silicone tube mimics the Eustachian tube but transports air in a much easier less obstructed fashion. The silicone membrane of the ear cup mimics the eardrum but is obviously more flexible and not effected by cold or pollutants.
​

I'll bet that it's "organic" too.

Some divers will still have to pinch their nose shut in order to equalize but the process should definitely be easier. The ear cups can be cleared of any water similar to clearing your mask.
​

There is no reason what-so-ever that the process "should be easier." While the "ear cups" can have any water in them pushed out, that's not at all the same thing as clearing out water that has seeped in under the silicone membrane into the ear canal. So you wind up with a dry cup over an that has been flooded with the cold, polluted, whatever, water that you were trying to keep out. If you need to keep your ears dry ... a helmet is the best way followed by a dry hood.

The ProEar 2000 mask also protects against ear infections, bony calcium deposits in the ear, and cold.
​

There is no clinical support for any of these claims.

The ProEar 2000 also allows for the directionality of sound, thereby allowing the diver (for the first time) to actually sense where sound direction is coming from!
​

This one I love. The direction of a sound is determined by the time lag at each ear that is created by the differential distance from the sound source to each ear. You can not locate sound underwater with any accuracy because sound travels much faster in water than in air and thus the time lag is much shorter. A small pocket of air over each ear will not change this.

My post here in no way reflects the opinion or stance of ScubaBoard or it's management. I relies solely on an understanding of the basic laws of physics, simple anatomical concepts and the January 2001 issue of DAN's Alert Diver.

thats a funky explanation indeed.
but it does work for the reasons i mentioned above.
and with regards to sound, you do tend to hear better underwater, air is a better medium for transmitting sound and im thinking that that small air pocket in the cusps somehow aids in sound propagation. i do not recall being able to sense sound direction however.

 

[gert7to3]

That Pro Ear 2000 explanation is an example of some ignorant copywriter having a brain fart.

That said, I have used the ProEar mask for several years. I found it very helpful. Since I have had a tymphanoplasty (reconstructed eardrum) things are more delicate. Keeping my ear dry makes equalization easier and safer. It's also a plus in cold water, since there is no cold water intrusion and you are blowing warm air over your ears. Equalization is the same whether its water or air at depth. Subjectively I think the density of water does play a part in ease of equalization. There is no comparison between the pressure differential of an airliner (about 8,000 ft/2600 m) and diving underwater with 1 additional bar per every 30 ft./10 m. of depth.

That photo of a ProEar mask on over a hood isn't correct. The mask must be applied directly to your head through holes cut in the hood over the ears. While ProEar offers a hood, it's a got two layers. There is an inner liner with ear holes and an outer overhood. The skirt is too short and thick. I could not get a decent neck seal with it. I cut out a Henderson 7mm hood then settled upon a Pinnacle hooded vest, which I also made ear holes in. Wearing that cutout hood really makes you look goofy. Sort of like one of the evil monkeys in the Wizard of Oz.

I found the mask to be high quality, but really too small with a narrow field of view. Then I noticed the ear cup tubes are attached with threaded tubes and a nut through the mask skirt. So I modified my old prescription Sherwood mask to make a ProEar (cup) Sherwood hybrid.

 

[Thalassamania]

Why not just go to a dry hood if you want to keep water out of your ears?

BTW: the photo of the diver with it over his hood was from the pro ear website. I don't think it was wrong, I suspect that it was an underhood with ear cutouts, you can see the overhood pulled down behind the diver's head and neck.

 

[gert7to3]

Actually I didn't even know about dry hoods. I assume they would be part of a drysuit, which I don't use. How are you able to equalize with a dry hood? Is air/gas entering the hood from the drysuit?

That ProEar hood still doesn't look right, even though it's on the website. I see how it could be a photo with the overhood pulled back. The ear cup skirts are supposed to be under the inner hood ear hole edges.

I'll say again, the mask (or should I say earcups) works for me.

 

[Thalassamania]

When people needed to keep their ears dry (before dry suits) this is what they used:

It goes by the macho name of "Scuba Queen" and is available from Global.

Dry hoods go on dry suits.

 

[mstrdvr]

I use the Pro-Ear in cold water , I find it helps me . It has it's own specific hood to accomodate the ear pieces. I have also used it in "warm" water , keeping in mind I live in WI, not FL. Enjoyed the fact I could equalize very easily. Placebo? I think not

 

[Thalassamania]

If it is not placebo ... could you please describe it's method of operation in terms of exactly how it could possibly help?

 

[gert7to3]

Why the Pro-Ear Mask is not a placebo.

You are pressurizing the inner ear against air, not water in the outer ear canal. Water is denser, resulting in greater effort to equalize against. Cold water can also cause reflexive effects which can impede function of the eustachian tubes. Ever get an ice cream headache in cold water?

Lower equalization effort and maintaining a dry outer ear canal reduces equalization strain and the chance of inflammation accompanied with congestion.

Also, your ears are not being flushed with possibly contaminated water. The normal environment in your outer ear canal is dry not wet. Many divers have ear problems, even infections, from repeated immersion on dive trips. They try to use various agents like alcohol, glycerin or vinegar to ameliorate the problems. This can lead to worse effects due to the way the outer ear flora/fauna are made even more imbalanced. This only increases the possibility of inflammation and congestion.

 

[Thalassamania]

Why the Pro-Ear Mask is not a placebo.

You are pressurizing the inner ear against air, not water in the outer ear canal. Water is denser, resulting in greater effort to equalize against.

That's not true, the difference in mass is almost negligible. Do you have a reference for this aside from an appeal to naive physics?

Cold water can also cause reflexive effects which can impede function of the eustachian tubes.

That's not true, the Eustachian Tubes are inside the head, one of the last places to cool.

Ever get an ice cream headache in cold water?

That's a completely different phenomena, in that case the blood vessels dilate to try and keep the head warm.

Lower equalization effort and maintaining a dry outer ear canal reduces equalization strain and the chance of inflammation accompanied with congestion.

That might be true if there were in fact lower equalization effort, something that you have yet to demonstrate.

Also, your ears are not being flushed with possibly contaminated water.

What does that have to do with equalization?

The normal environment in your outer ear canal is dry not wet. Many divers have ear problems, even infections, from repeated immersion on dive trips. They try to use various agents like alcohol, glycerin or vinegar to ameliorate the problems. This can lead to worse effects due to the way the outer ear flora/fauna are made even more imbalanced. This only increases the possibility of inflammation and congestion.

Infections of the external ear canal (which can be easily avoided with the use of mineral oil before the dive and Tektite Solution after) have nothing what-so-ever to do with equalization.

As far as I can see the Pro Ear is at best a placebo and at worst an out-an-out fraud.

 

[vladimir]

You are pressurizing the inner ear against air, not water in the outer ear canal. Water is denser, resulting in greater effort to equalize against.

The external force exerted against your eardrum, whether by water or gas, is measured in pressure (force per unit area), not density. You need to muster an equal force in the middle ear to balance it, using gas. It comes down to that old puzzler, "Which weighs more, a pound of lead or a pound of feathers?"