Seeing in salt water

[Dea]

Can any person physically see in salt water?
is the stinging harmful to the eyes?
could it leave some permanent damage?

I know people who have no problem at all swimming in salt water with open eyes. So I wonder if they are different physiologically or it is just a psychological thing?

I have a problem with opening eyes in salt water. That bothers me. It is the only fear I have. So I want to know if it is irrational.
Though it never posed any problem so far -- if I flood my mask I just keep my eyes closed until I clear it. But if one day I loose the mask in less than ideal conditions it may not always be wise to wait until my buddy notices it. There might be a emergency situation where I absolutely must see immediately.
I wonder how I'll behave then. I guess it would help if I knew what to expect. If it is only discomfort of stinging, than I could keep myself under control. But can there be some strong physical reaction?

(my doubts are also fed by the fact that in ow training there was an exersize where you are led without a mask by a buddy. I am thinking that if all people were biologically capable of seeing with no mask than they would have train us to swim that 50 yards that way instead of being lead by a buddy)

 

[JamesK]

One thing you can do to curb your fear of having to swim without a mask in saltwater is to avoid it completely. No, not diving or saltwater, or even losing your mask. Get a thigh pocket glued or sticthed to your wetsuit/drysuit. In the pocket carry a spare mask. If you should happen to have your mask kicked off, or the strap break, you can simply reach in and grab your spare mask. A lot of us cave divers do this.

As for the salt water hurting your eyes, I don't think the water itself can hurt your eyes, but the bacteria might. I carry antibiotic drops that I got from my doctor. I put them in my eyes to kill anything that might be in them after a dive where my eyes were exposed.

 

[Rockhound]

You can open your eyes easily in salt water. I've experienced NO stinging or other problems you might associate with getting your face "splashed" with saline water at the surface.

You can't see really well in saltwater, but you do see better than in fresh. The Refractive Index of salt water interferes less than than fresh with the light coming into your eyes. The more saline the water, the better.

The only time you might feel any stinging is when you blink a few times right after surfacing. It is no worse than getting hit with a wave.

Try it. You'll like it!

 

[exnewwavedivers]

Nothing you can do about getting eye infection from seawater. To prevent, don't dive. To minimize risk if you go diving, you may put eye drops after the dive.

As for the sting... before starting your swim from shore or boarding a boat for a dive, it's a good idea to put your face under the water, get it wet, if you feel stinging sensation, close your eyes. It should be gone in a minute or two. Don't scratch. Once the stinging sentation is gone, you should be alright even when your mask gets flooded. You won't feel the stinging sensation.

Each time you're in a pool or beach, try swimming underwater with your eyes open to gain confidence. When you overcome this fear of yours, you will notice also that all your other skills will improve really quick.

 

[Baroo]

I open my eyes in salt water all the time... no problems so far! the only sting you get is when you come out of the water and the salt really gets into your eyes - kinda like when you sweat a lot... only hurts for a sec though... can't really see too much under there as it is really blury... stick to the mask!

It is a good idea though to get confortable seeing in saltwater in the unlikely event that you mask gets knocked around or flooded and you need to fix it...

I wouldn't worrry about it too much though...

 

[MSilvia]

Salt water isn't all that different from sweat or tears. Both are mostly water and salt, but the ocean may be saltier.

Given time, it'll draw moisture out of you and you'll get dehydrated, but that shouldn't be a factor if you're just looking for your mask.

 

[Lloyd]

I just wanted to add my $.02. Putting eye drops in after diving is not needed. The risk of getting an infection from salt water is very remote. The saltier the better. You can get infections from fresh water more easily, but that is still rare. The worst bug in fresh water is acanthamoeba. Antibiotics will not kill it. However, infections from it are also rare and generally associated with contact lens wear.
Lloyd
Eye Doc. and Prof.

 

[JamesK]

Thanks Doc. My Dr recommended it though because of an eye infection I got that they thought was related to diving.

 

[art.chick]

Is it just this pool exercise that has u freaked? I have done that one, & the eyes are not the big deal; the nose is what's different! The nose pocket on your mask has been blocking water form getting in your notrils. You will have to blow out with your nose to keep water from getting in. It is NOT a big deal; just a minor adjustment. Just focus on what the exercise is ABOUT: letting a buddy lead you.

There are worse things that can happen during a dive than losing a mask. If you want a hair-raising story of a diver who lost his mask, read The Cave Divers' chapter about Charles Lindberg's son (no, not the famous Lindberg baby; another son.) who went on a solo cave dive. Don't want to ruin it for you, but if he came out alive, I'm sure you'll be ok on your checkout dives!

 

[Dea]

Thanks everyone, now that I know it would not be harmful, I'm sure I'll learn to do it fast.

ArtChick, I am not a new diver, never had any problems with the nose, and I am not freaked.
I was simply curious if opening eyes in salt water would have any ill effects. In my diving I only encounter partial floods on a regular basis, so I never really had to deal with a situation in where I had to see without a mask, but was curious to know more in case I ever do.

The reason I mentioned pool exersize is that it had left me with the impression that I would not be able to see without a mask and that opening my eyes in salt water is not a good option. (otherwise why would they do the exersize?)