Pain in right eye-ball ?!!?

[oojacoboo]

Ok, first of all, I want to tell you all that I am new to diving. This was my check out dive. I was in Florida at Crystal River and then Blue Gratto. When I got to Crystal River everything was ok. I was pumped, other than the cold water seaping into my wet-suit. So, I get my gear on, get in the water and get to the Three Kings hole. When my turn come up with my buddy I get in position and then partially deflate my BCD, as I begin slowly to descend, I start to feel pressure in my right eye-ball. It felt as if the pain was behind my right eye, my left one was fine. As the depth increased the pain did as well. So, I slowly rose up a little to see if I could equalize. I cleared my ears, equalized my mask, etc. Nothing did the trick. So, I went to the surface. The pain was pretty harsh. So, I took a break and then tried it again, still, same pain. So, next day at Blue Gratto; I am thinking that everything will be ok and I can knock out the rest of my dives to get certified. So, I start to go down and the same thing! I start to get pissed, and I said **** it. So, I very very slowly went down to about 35 feet and the pain was still there. I did all my skills training and then went to the surface. I had to finish all my dives to get certified, so I sucked it up and did. The whole time while my eye was hurting. It is still hurting now as I type this thread. However, I am assuming that it will feel better tomorrow like it did the first day.

My question is, has anyone had this happen? Was it because of sinus problems? I don't have sinus problems and I never have. Is there some sort of blockage that was keeping it from equalizing? Is this something that will probably go away and next time I dive not be present? Is this something that I should see a doctor for? I am really confused. I felt like a panzie out there saying that I can't go down because of my eye. I got re-partnered up with this girl in the group that had problems with everything. That really pissed me off. I am not one to give up or have problems like this. Anyway, tell me your thoughts please.

Any help is greatly appreciated,

Jacob

 

[lostinspace]

Ok, first of all, I want to tell you all that I am new to diving. This was my check out dive. I was in Florida at Crystal River and then Blue Gratto. When I got to Crystal River everything was ok. I was pumped, other than the cold water seaping into my wet-suit. So, I get my gear on, get in the water and get to the Three Kings hole. When my turn come up with my buddy I get in position and then partially deflate my BCD, as I begin slowly to descend, I start to feel pressure in my right eye-ball. It felt as if the pain was behind my right eye, my left one was fine. As the depth increased the pain did as well. So, I slowly rose up a little to see if I could equalize. I cleared my ears, equalized my mask, etc. Nothing did the trick. So, I went to the surface. The pain was pretty harsh. So, I took a break and then tried it again, still, same pain. So, next day at Blue Gratto; I am thinking that everything will be ok and I can knock out the rest of my dives to get certified. So, I start to go down and the same thing! I start to get pissed, and I said **** it. So, I very very slowly went down to about 35 feet and the pain was still there. I did all my skills training and then went to the surface. I had to finish all my dives to get certified, so I sucked it up and did. The whole time while my eye was hurting. It is still hurting now as I type this thread. However, I am assuming that it will feel better tomorrow like it did the first day.

My question is, has anyone had this happen? Was it because of sinus problems? I don't have sinus problems and I never have. Is there some sort of blockage that was keeping it from equalizing? Is this something that will probably go away and next time I dive not be present? Is this something that I should see a doctor for? I am really confused. I felt like a panzie out there saying that I can't go down because of my eye. I got re-partnered up with this girl in the group that had problems with everything. That really pissed me off. I am not one to give up or have problems like this. Anyway, tell me your thoughts please.
Any help is greatly appreciated,
Jacob

You asked for my thoughts, you are going to get my thoughts.

1) Water is meant to seep into wet suits. That's why they are called "wet" suits.
2) I know you were pushing to get qualified, but part of learning to dive is learning when not to dive. You need to work on this attitude - you should not have continued diving if you were in pain.
3) If you felt like a panzie, think how the poor girl you were partnered with felt like. If you were pissed off, she would have seen it, and that would have made her feel worse. That's not a nice way to behave around a fellow learner.
4) Who says you are not one to "have problems like this"? Who made you superman? So you have a problem, it's perfectly human to have problems.
5) Get your arse down to an opticians. Now. It sounds like you have a cornea/retina problem, or possibly even a damage optical nerve. If left untreated these problems can cause blindness. You may well need surgery. By continuing to dive after you had the pain you may well have worsened the damage too much, and may have prevented yourself from going diving again for a long time.

 

[oojacoboo]

You asked for my thoughts, you are going to get my thoughts.

1) Water is meant to seep into wet suits. That's why they are called "wet" suits.

I know water is meant to seep into wet suits. I was just making a comment!

3) If you felt like a panzie, think how the poor girl you were partnered with felt like. If you were pissed off, she would have seen it, and that would have made her feel worse. That's not a nice way to behave around a fellow learner.

I would never make someone feel bad like that. I know how frustrating it can be for someone learning. I was there. She didn't know that I was upset about it. I made it a point to not act upset at all. Although I was.

4) Who says you are not one to "have problems like this"? Who made you superman? So you have a problem, it's perfectly human to have problems.

I never said that I am superman. I am just saying that I have never had any problems with my eyes or sinuses or anything. It was just really strange for something like this to happen. Basically I was just setting the stage so that people would know that I am not a person that has had problems. This was a strange thing.[/QUOTE]

5) Get your arse down to an opticians. Now. It sounds like you have a cornea/retina problem, or possibly even a damage optical nerve. If left untreated these problems can cause blindness. You may well need surgery. By continuing to dive after you had the pain you may well have worsened the damage too much, and may have prevented yourself from going diving again for a long time.

Is an optician the appropriate place to go for a problem like this? That would make since as it was an eye problem, but the problem was due to pressure. Will an optician know about this?

Thanks,
Jacob

 

[DandyDon]

Sounds like something foolhardy that I'd do. Get it done, minimize the losses later. Not a good approach in diving, but I'm learning.

I'll be watching for the professional opinions to be posted here, but I'm still thinking a sinus blockage adjacent to the eye socket. Ear, Nose & Throat physician.

If you feel an urgent need for a professional opinion before medical folks get to post here, you can call DAN, 24/7 if needed, 919-684-8111.

 

[BigJetDriver]

(1) Ok, first of all, I want to tell you all that I am new to diving.

(2) I felt like a pansie out there saying that I can't go down because of my eye.

(3) I am not one to give up or have problems like this.

Any help is greatly appreciated,

Jacob

Okay, let's take this a step at a time.

(1) Welcome to the wonderful world of diving, and the ScubaBoard.

(2) When you have a problem, it is always a good thing to do as Tom Mount, the leader and guru of diving at IANTD, suggests: Stop. Breathe. Think. Then act.

Determination is good. Persisting when something is wrong is not good. Diving is supposed to feel good. It is definitely not supposed to hurt.

There are two suppositions here, but the most likely one is a sinus blockage, in either the maxillary, or, more likely, the supraorbital sinus. It would not necessarily take an infection to block one, and the pain would manifest itself in the region of the eye.

The other supposition is a mask squeeze, but that would manifest itself with two blood-shot eyes, and/or redness around the mask seal area.

Find an EENT in your area, preferably one who is a diver, and have him check your sinuses, and eyes. Let us know what he finds.

(3) See number two above. Confidence is GOOD. Being over-confident or aggressive is NOT GOOD.

Again: Relax. Stop. Breathe. Think. Act. (Repeat as necessary in the exact order shown!)

Cheers!

Rob

P.S.--Although I am a Certified Diver Medic Technician, I am not an M.D. My supposition is not a diagnosis. See your physician before diving again.

:doctor:

 

[scutterjoe]

If I may just add a few words of my own, after my first experiences and chats with other divers. Not saying this relates to your problems (you probably don't wear contact lenses), but I did think it was a valuable bit of info at the time.

I wear contact lenses, and have done for a good few years now. I raised this as a point with one of my instructors "Would it be a problem etc?". In actual fact, I found the instructor wore contact lenses too.!
However, talking to some of the other divers who wore contact lenses, one had had some ill fitting ones and experienced pain in his eye. The optician gave him an up to date prescription and suggested it might have been the air trapped between the contact lense and the surface of the cornea causing the pain. He said the new contact lenses gave no problems. I guess becuase they fitted the profile of his eyes properly.?!
I found the subject quite astonishing. Later the instructor was saying the same potential problems can occur with poor tooth fillings.
I guess the solution is to check out the dentist and opticians regularly.
I can understand your wanting to dive even though you got pain, but hang on in there bud, as I'm sure you'll get to the cause of the problem and sort it, leading to painfree dives which is more pleasurable.
Best wishes with your future dives.

 

[The Chairman]

I am not a medical doctor... I only fix sick networks.

But I am an instructor and the pain sounds like it originates in your sinus cavities. Every now and then I will get such a pain. I will stop and ascend until the pain goes away pull my mask off and BLOW MY NOSE, one nostril at a time. I do it until both feel absolutely clear and then descend SLOWLY and try once more.

If that doesn't work; GIVE UP! Don't risk injuring yourself permanently just for a single day of diving. By all means go and visit the ENT that Rob mentioned... you will be glad you did!

 

[opiniongirl]

sounds like sinus to me. get it checked out - and don't push it again - you can have major problems.

short and sweet.

 

[freediver]

Pain behind the eye? Sounds like pressure is being put on the optic nerve and could be originating from the sinus. I agree, you should find an ENT specialist, again one with dive medicine experience preferably.

 

[lostinspace]

Jacob - it doesnt really matter if you go to an optician's (as long as they are a qualified opthalmologist (sp?) - eye doctor) or an ENT doctor.
Both will be able to spot what & where the problem is and if necessary refer you to the other one. The important thing is to go there straight away - especially if you still have pain.