Hazy Eyes

[BNow0707]

I have noticed lately when i dive, no matter how deep or shallow when i surface and remove my mask my vision is very hazy almost like i was wearing a foggy mask. I usually flood and rinse my mask several times during a dive. Could it be something in the water getting in my eyes or something else causing the hazed vision? After about 20 to 30 mins it completely clears. Also i guess i should add all of these dives are in freshwater quarries. Thanks for the help.

 

[fisherdvm]

Why would you flood and rinse your mask several times? That would just wash out the spits, right? Since it only occurs on the surface, and only after you take off your mask.... I wonder if it is simply your eyes adjusting to a brighter environment by constricting your iris. After they have adjusted to the brighter light, then the iris dilate a little bit more, allowing you to see better.

It is kind of like being blinding by a highbeam at night, it takes time to adapt to bright light or dark places.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

It sunds like what happens if I sleep in my contacts - which would place the problem somewhere in the neighborhood of not enough O2 getting to your corneas, but that does not make much sense.

My next thought is flooding the mask several times during the mask may be exposing your eyes to something in the water, so put the mask on an leave it on and see what happens. If it leaks badly, get a new one.

It's possible the something getting in your eyes could be your own defog. Clean the mask thorougly with toothpaste to remove any oils and then just use spit to defog the mask for a couple dives and see if there is a difference.

 

[JonKranhouse]

Fresh water can wash away the tear fluid - along with it the protective lipid layer - and can alter corneal physiology, due to osmotic differences between tear fluid (saline) and freshwater.

This is made apparent when swimming in freshwater pools, as the osmotic gradient draws 'pool water' into the corneal tissue, causing edema, and subsequently leaving the swimmer with "cloudy" or "misty" vision for a short period thereafter. Irrigating the eye with hypertonic saline can restore sharp vision quicker than your natural tear production.

 

[BNow0707]

I've been using 200ft VIZ mask defogger. It works great for the first 15 to 20 minutes. Then when the water temps start varying my mask starts fogging so I flood and rinse. The haze does occurs somewhat while in the water on long dives but it less noticable than when i surface. I guess i should switch defoggers and try to find one that will last the dive.

 

[TSandM]

Are you using the defog according to the instructions (i.e. applied to a dry mask, and then buffed)? I use the same stuff, and not only does the defog last through a whole dive, I can often do a second one or even a third before I need to do anything more against fogging.

 

[BNow0707]

I think it says it can be applied and let dry and buffed or applied wet and rinsed. We usually apply it to the mask wet and scrub and rinse. I'll put some on and let it dry and give that a try.

I was thinkin that the temperature variability might be then problem. On our deeper dives it can be as cold as mid 50's at depth and as high as 80's on the surface. We mostly dive quarries that are fed by underground springs.

 

[fisherdvm]

Fresh water can wash away the tear fluid - along with it the protective lipid layer - and can alter corneal physiology, due to osmotic differences between tear fluid (saline) and freshwater.

This is made apparent when swimming in freshwater pools, as the osmotic gradient draws 'pool water' into the corneal tissue, causing edema, and subsequently leaving the swimmer with "cloudy" or "misty" vision for a short period thereafter. Irrigating the eye with hypertonic saline can restore sharp vision quicker than your natural tear production.

Insightful comments. I was thinking about the etiology of corneal edema, and whether it has bearing in this case. I wonder if the application of excessive detergent to the mask and repeated flushing might have aggravated it as well. It is just interesting how the OP said it doesn't begin until he removes the mask - so that's why I thought it was simply the retinal and iris response to bright light.

 

[fisherdvm]

Vol. 249 No. 18, May 13, 1983 JAMA

Effects of swimming pool water on the cornea
J. R. Haag and R. G. Gieser

Eye examinations performed on 50 subjects immediately before and after swimming in a chlorinated pool showed that 34 subjects (68%) saw rainbows and/or halos around lights after swimming, a symptom indicating the presence of corneal edema. Forty-seven subjects (94%) had corneal epithelial erosions in a punctate or linear pattern demonstrated by fluorescein staining on slit-lamp examination. No subject experienced a measurable decrease in visual acuity.

 

[fisherdvm]

What's interesting, is how normal saline (like ocean water) also causes corneal edema. My guess is adding a detergent like mask clearing solution will make it worse:


http://www.emedicine.com/OPH/topic64.htm

"Causes of corneal edema:

Choice of intraocular irrigating fluid can have a profound affect on postoperative corneal edema.
Under experimental conditions, normal saline induces more corneal swelling than Ringer's lactate solution, while BSS causes the least amount of swelling. BSS contains an electrolyte balance very similar to aqueous humor. BSS plus is probably the best solution for use in compromised corneas and when long case times are anticipated (vitrectomies)."