Sharp Eye Pain on Ascent ?

[Cacia]

Anyone ever have a sharp stabbing sensation in their eyeball when ascending? I was diving shallow leading the second dive today...and we were about thirty feet when it felt like a reverse block and could have been sinus but felt like my eyeball, very painfull, took my breath away. Completely went away on the surface. had visions of a bubble in my eye vasculature or my retina being ripped away. Fine now.

 

[SeanQ]

I know the feeling but have never experienced it while diving. It has happened to me if I stood up too quickly though. So, in a way, I was ascending.

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi Catherine,

Assuming that the eye is normal, healthy and has not been recently operated upon, the orb itself will be filled with non-compressible fluids and contain no air spaces. As such, it is not subject to internal squeeze phenomena. However, the eye is subject to discomfort from external events like mask pressure and sinus squeeze.

The diver will want to insure that s/he equalizes the mask and that sinus passageways are free of congestion and other obstruction while diving.

This is educational only and does not constitute or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice to you or any other individual and should not be construed as such.

Regards,

DocVikingo

 

[BigJetDriver]

What Doc said, Catharine. One of the two. My guess...sinus squeeze. Why? You've been diving long enough to remember to equalilze your mask.

Cheers!

 

[scubamanny]

I also think this is sinus squeeze. I suffer from this regularly and am able to make it go away by decenting a meter or so, blowing my nose with my mask off and eyes closed (I wear contacts) and then replacing and clearing my mask. This phenomenon also happens to people who take decongestants and have them wear off while still at depth. When they ascend, they experience the same squeeze sensation. Be advised that it can also give you nausia and is best dealt with promptly.

 

[Cacia]

I always thought my mask equalized itself....I fill it with a little water and clear several times during a dive, since I don't use defog ever.... I felt maybe it was "referred pain" from a sinus near my eye. But the pain was most definetly felt in the eyeball! Whew hurt like heck. Hope to never get it again. thanks.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

I'll vote for sinus squeeze also. I get sinus headaches that feel like they are trying to blow my eyes right out of my skull. I had a reverse squeeze in a maxillary sinus that felt like it was trying to blow a hole in the roof of my mouth. Those sinuses are nasty little buggers when they squeeze.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Diver0001]

I'm betting sinus squeeze too. I've had a reverse block, a really "good" one in Mexico once (dumb boy didn't want to cut his vacation short because of a cold). It felt like someone was bashing the whole front of my head to hell with an ice-axe. I bet a little squeeze could make you feel like your eye was getting jabbed....

R..

 

[khacken]

Catherine,

I also vote for sinus squeeze. On my last dive I had the same thing, but on descent. Blowing hard out my nose seemed to do the trick. It felt like someone was shoving a nail into my eyeball. On a side note, one guy in my group had a sinus squeeze that made his tooth hurt like hell.

Since you had it on ascent, you probably did not get blood in your mask. I did end up with a little bit in my mask, which confirmed the sinus squeeze in my situation (plus the fact that blowing my nose after a short ascent gave me immediate relief).