Eye Squeeze?

[donclaypool]

Lately my right eye and close surrounding sinus area have started giving me mild pain during decent. Anyone else have this? I know the eye is fluid filled and should not therefor be subject to a squeeze, but my sinuses are clear, I think. Is this something to worry about? Any Half blind divers out there want to give me a preemptive heads up?

Don

 

[simbrooks]

Occasionally i get a little sinus squeeze pain, it feels like it is behind the eye, but in fact its just those same sinus areas squeezing up on me. I dont know what clears it apart from having clear sinuses..... I also dont feel like i have any sinus issues, at least in terms of being clogged up in any way, but obviously there is something causing it - probably an allergy.

 

[Laurence Stein DDS]

Hi Don,

My guess is that you are experiencing a sinus squeeze...perhaps from the frontal or ethmoidal air sinuses. They, along with the maxillary sinus surround the eye and the sphenoidal sinus is somewhat behind the eye.

Failure to equilize any of these sinuses may result in pressure on or sensation within the eye. You should see your ENT for an evaluation. You can cause a lot of problems if you get a severe squeeze.

You can also get a get a squeeze from you mask that can affect the eyes. A mask squeeze can result in burst blood vessels in the sclera (whites). This usually happens on descent if you fail to exhale small amounts of air into your mask. On ascent, the air can usually expand and escape around the mask seal by itself.

Larry Stein

 

[ScubaDadMiami]

Echo Dr. Stein.

 

[donclaypool]

Thanks Gentlemen,

Yesterday's dive went well as far as eye squeeze . I made extra effort to equalize my mask and only had a moment of the pressure onset. Perhaps I've been focusing more on getting to the bottom fast, a necessity at this particular site, than equalizing like I'd do on a normal decent. If it continues I'll certainly go to the doc.

Thanks again,
Don

 

[Hank49]

Hi Don,

My guess is that you are experiencing a sinus squeeze...perhaps from the frontal or ethmoidal air sinuses. They, along with the maxillary sinus surround the eye and the sphenoidal sinus is somewhat behind the eye.

Failure to equilize any of these sinuses may result in pressure on or sensation within the eye. You should see your ENT for an evaluation. You can cause a lot of problems if you get a severe squeeze.

You can also get a get a squeeze from you mask that can affect the eyes. A mask squeeze can result in burst blood vessels in the sclera (whites). This usually happens on descent if you fail to exhale small amounts of air into your mask. On ascent, the air can usually expand and escape around the mask seal by itself.

Larry Stein

I dived with a guy in Tioman, Malaysia one time and he didn't equalize his mask pressure. After the dive the whites of his eyes were completely red. the little Malaysian kids would cry if he looked at them. Like some movie monster.