Ascent without a mask

[TMHeimer]

Salt water never bothered my eyes--Pool chlorine on the other hand is mighty rough.

 

[Indian Valley Scuba]

As a new rec diver, I can easily remove my mask, drop it, and retrieve it. It burns, but is perfectly do-able. On a dive, deep or shallow, could you do an ascent without a mask at all, or does the salt have a cumulative discomforting effect on the eyes?

Cumulative Discomforting Effect? Am I missing something here about water in my eyes?

 

[Belce]

Saltwater is easier on your eyes than pool chorline. When diving recreationally and within the no deco limits the only thing you need to successfully make any ascent to sea level is breathe out and the skin you are in.

 

[SCUBASailor]

Cumulative Discomforting Effect? Am I missing something here about water in my eyes?

When I take my mask off in saltwater, my eyes burn. I was just asking if the burning gets worse or better as the eyes are exposed to salt for long periods.

 

[Walter]

When I take my mask off in saltwater, my eyes burn. I was just asking if the burning gets worse or better as the eyes are exposed to salt for long periods.

The burning disappears over time, with repeated exposures. Seawater used to burn my eyes, but it hasn't for many, many years.

 

[shotgun.tycoon]

Saltwater is easier on your eyes than pool chorline. When diving recreationally and within the no deco limits the only thing you need to successfully make any ascent to sea level is breathe out and the skin you are in.

I know that is supposed to be true, but the first few times back in saltwater it seems to burn a LOT worse. But eventually it gets quite tolerable.

 

[ericdiver]

The eye irritation has never bothered me - but I've been doing that my whole life so maybe I'm just used to it. But since learning to use scuba, not being able read my gauges and computer (without a mask) bother me a lot. I was very impressed on a course this summer while practicing mask-free ascents to find I can't read digital gauges/computers at all, and not really pick out the needle on analog gauges, without a mask. A spare mask solves the problem, but adds yet another piece of gear. I haven't yet had a chance to practice controlled ascents (without a mask) by following the bubbles - how hard is this?

 

[diver 85]

Sometimes a man has to do what he has to do........