difficulties to breath with open eyes without mask

[stepfen]

Hello everybody,

I just got a second/backup mask and few days ago during my first dive with it I wanted to try switching masks underwater with eyes open.

During the drill something that I haven't noticed before happened. While I had my eyes open (without mask) my throat muscles (glottis?) were contracted to the point of practically blocking my airway hence I couldn't inhale. It felt like a reflex - eyes open in water cause throat closing / eyes closed and my throat was again free. Every time I needed to breath I had to close my eyes inhale and then reopen them to continue the drill. I can't remember if it was the same for exhalation but I guess it did.
After few breaths I tried (kind of forced myself) to inhale even with closed throat and eventually I did manage it although not very comfortable.

Generally I am quite comfortable underwater with or without mask and eyes open or closed. It is the first time though I notice this. Is there such reflex or maybe it just happened?? I am puzzled because I do remember doing similar drills (eg no mask swims etc) but I don't remember this. It might be that I always kept my eyes closed without realizing. BTW I can do the same drill with eyes closed, but keeping eyes open is of course better eg to have a visual reference for buoyancy control.

If there is such reflex I need to work on it and then any suggestions on how to work on this are welcome.

Thanks

PS: In case anybody is wondering I want/need a backup mask because I occasionally dive solo (which is irrelevant to the rest of the topic).

 

[Angelo Farina]

It is a well known phenomenon, known as glottis reflex. I already wrote about this in other posts.
It is a neo-natal reflex, which is very useful for avoiding children to breath water if the fall in water.
Usually this reflex attenuates and disappears in a few years. When I was teaching finned swimming to children 6 years and above, only 1 over 4 was still experiencing troubles breathing from the snorkel without a mask.
Going to adults probably this falls down to 1 over 10, but is still a relatively frequent problem.
The reflex is triggered by a neurotransmitters on the face, around the nostrils. Usually a mask cover these receptors, avoiding the problem. But if the mask is flooded or removed, the reflex can be triggered, and you cannot breath anymore.
People suffering of this problem can be trained to overcome the temporary block with a number of exercises and techniques. One very effective is to swim at the surface breathing from the snorkel without the mask. Initially with eyes closed and nose closed with fingers. Then you gently release one nostril, then the other, open one eye, and then the other. Repeat it for many hours, until you can get proper control of the reflex.
This kind of training must be repeated periodically, as if you do not practice it for years, the risk that the reflex kicks in during the wrong moment can resurface.

 

[stepfen]

Thanks Angelo. So, my wife is right to call me baby

I have heard about this reflex but couldn't imagine/relate it to this. Very interesting.

All these years swimming/snorkeling/diving I haven't noticed this before or at least can't remember it. And I am pretty sure I can (or at least I could in the past) exhale while freediving without mask. I am also 100% sure I can exhale even with tiny goggles (probably they don't cover these receptors) because I do exhale continuously underwater while swimming. I haven't tried though with inhaling eg through a snorkel. For now I could experiment goggles with snorkel or just snorkel as you suggest until my next dive.

Yeah, plenty of new things to experiment with this afternoon at the beach.

Thanks a lot...

 

[diver00011]

I had the same problem for a long time but slowly trained myself out of it. Keep practicing and you'll be fine.

One thing that helped me overcome that reflex was to plug my nose. No idea why.

Also, as a solo diver you should be able to perform most of your skills blind anyways, so having to close your eyes at depth for a few seconds isn't a terrible thing, as long as you're not panicking.

 

[rddvet]

I had the same issue as well. I just closed my eyes and relaxed then reopened and slowly trained myself to be fine. It's a weird feeling to have trouble breathing just because your eyes are open

 

[TMHeimer]

I was surprised and enlightened to read Angelo's info. on this subject. I had thought for years it was just mental, or lack of comfortability in water.
Good luck with your practice to overcome this. My guess is you did have your eyes closed all those other times. I doubt it has to do with chlorine (which I hate) in your eyes.

 

[kelemvor]

I also was surprised to read this. I learned something today. Who knew? (other than the Italian scientist)

 

[stepfen]

Just came back from the sea... I forgot the snorkel in my diving gear bag back home, but I did experiment a bit with and without goggles.

What I did was to inhale (full lungs), then dive like 1 meter underwater and then tried to exhale or move air from my lungs to my (closed) mouth and back. Interestingly I could very easily do all these with and without goggles and eyes open or closed.

I'll experiment more next time I am at the beach with the snorkel, or next time I dive properly.

 

[DBPacific]

Wow I also thought it was just my own fear and being uncomfortable without a mask. I've mostly trained myself out of it with similar exercises to what Angelo described. Every time I'm in the pool I also submerge myself in the deep end (keeping a hand on the rim just in case) and practice breathing in and out with a snorkel and no mask with eyes open and closed, and breathing out steadily without the snorkel too. A little reacquaintance with it each time you're in water helps a lot

 

[TMHeimer]

Having found out about this reflex I do wonder-- Angelo previously explained that basically with a very few people this natural reflex in the very young just doesn't go away with age. I wonder how many actually have the problem as adults vs. how many just have poor airway control? Probably is no real way to find out.