Mask smashed on face...nad it hurt!

[Brewticus]

OW certified last year...all went perfectly well. Our first dive in Cozumel today we went to 80'. My best to describe this, it felt like my mask was being smashed against my face. Smashed to the point it really hurt my face and eyes. I tried blowing out my nose a bit. Even blowing hard enough to clear some water out. I even have a bit of petechiae around my eyes. Post dive the dive master said try to blow out my nose a bit... Our second dive to 40 -50 feet was no problem.
Any thoughts or suggestions? We are here for a week and hope I won't be limited on depth. Just doesn't make sense. Help!

 

[Nemrod]

Your mask should fit the same at 100 feet as it does at ten feet. Exhale some air into it.

N

 

[g1138]

Your air spaces compress with depth. To solve this you equalize, both your ears and your mask.
Like Nemrod said, blowing air into the mask should fix it. With practice you'll do it passively. You're usually stressed and excited so you close off that path way to your nose. When you start to calm down with experience you'll loosen up.

 

[Brewticus]

I absolutely understand. Blow air out the nose equalizing the mask. I feel I did that...multiple times. The pressure was pressure was extremely painful. Just looked in the mirror and looks like I have two mild black eye. I'll give it another try again tomorrow and the rest of the week.

 

[kgilb]

I hate to ask the obvious, but is your mask too tight?

 

[g1138]

I absolutely understand. Blow air out the nose equalizing the mask. I feel I did that...multiple times. The pressure was pressure was extremely painful. Just looked in the mirror and looks like I have two mild black eye. I'll give it another try again tomorrow and the rest of the week.

You may then be inhaling through your nose which sucks the mask on.
Once you create a "vacuum" in the mask, the air just travels to your lungs. By doing that you'll never have your mask equalized.

When exhaling you probably exhale from your mouth and because of the basis of being a nose breather you close off your nose to the exhale and therefore still have a mask in "vacuum".

Were you certified or was this a Discover Scuba Dive / Uncertified Demo?
I only ask because I'll give difference answers on the basis of your training and safety.

 

[pafindr]

You have to equilize the mask constantly on the way down. Every few feet.

 

[g1138]

I hate to ask the obvious, but is your mask too tight?

Could also be a factor but, it wouldn't cause the black eyes. That's barotrauma.
Mask strap should be just loose enough to fit around your head. Then tightened 1-2 notches on either side.
If it leaks then that usually means the skirt it shaped wrongly for your face. Solution is to use a different mask brand/model

 

[kerrycorcoran]

I would agree your mask was too tight. Perhaps you adjusted it inadvertently before the 2nd dive?

 

[KeithG]

Could also be a factor but, it wouldn't cause the black eyes. That's barotrauma.
Mask strap should be just loose enough to fit around your head. Then tightened 1-2 notches on either side.
If it leaks then that usually means the skirt it shaped wrongly for your face. Solution is to use a different mask brand/model

Agreed. 2 different issues.

Mask squeeze is caused by not equalizing your mask as you descend. So you have a vacuum trying to suck your eyes out of your head. This is generally considered to be bad. I have the habit of always exhaling via my nose. Never had a mask squeeze.

Tight mask syndrome is caused by your strap being too tight. This can happen with a "properly" adjusted strap that is now positioned wrong on the back of your melon. I get this every now and then. I pop my mask on and fail to pull the strap down on the back. Too high. Too tight. This causes the mask skirt to press against your cheeks. Even when equalized. I wear mask skirt marks for supper sometimes. No big deal.

Do not confuse the 2 situations.