Diving is an exciting and rewarding activity. Many divers talk about their diving experience and how much fun it is to dive into a new world. But let’s not forget that diving is a serious activity as well as a fun activity. If we care about the training we receive and apply what we have learned, we can make safe and enjoyable dives.
In this article I will talk about Mask Barotrauma.
Mask compression usually occurs when we start descending for a dive. As the depth increases, the pressure increases and as with all air spaces, the air in our mask starts to compress.
What we need to do is to balance the pressure inside the mask by giving air through our nose into the mask. As your experience increases, you will already do this as a natural skill, just like ear equalization.
What if we forget to equalize the air in our mask?
If we breathe into the mask through the nose and do not equalize the pressure inside the mask, a vacuum effect occurs inside the mask. The mask sticks to our face. And due to the vacuum effect, it can cause rupture of the veins, bruising and swelling, especially around the eyes.
Veins close to the skin surface shrink and cause redness.
Cracked vessels in the white of the eye may leave temporary red spots on the eye.
In advanced and rare cases, it may cause nosebleeds and visual disturbances.
I would like to add a note because it sounds very scary. This is not something that happens all of a sudden. Just as we get signals when our ears are not equalized and we do what we need to do, the mask squeeze will also give you signals. If you don’t remember what to do, you will probably ask your instructor for help and solve the problem. I have only encountered a diver who has experienced mask compression once in my instructor career.
I think one of the main factors that cause mask barotrauma is inexperience and excitement.
New divers sometimes forget to equalize the mask because they try to focus on many situations such as ear equalization, buoyancy, etc. at the same time while diving.
And the second reason may be descending too fast.
It is very easy to prevent mask barotrauma.
First of all, try to stay calm and keep control in every situation. Remember you are a diver. You are trained to be a diver and you know what to do.
Remember to equalize both your ear and mask when descending.
Make a controlled landing. So don’t sink, DIVE!!
Having your own mask that fits your face is something I always recommend. If you consult your instructor, he will give advice on this subject. Take care to get advice from several different people.
If you encounter such a situation, stop the dive immediately in a safe way. So don’t panic and throw yourself to the surface.
Apply cold complex or ice for bruises and swelling. If you do not have problems such as loss of vision, they will resolve over time, just like bruises on our body. By the way, it is very normal for bruises to spread downwards on your face. The reason for the spread and its downward direction is gravity.
If you have bloodshot eyes, impaired vision or nosebleeds, visit your doctor immediately. Do not dive for as long as your doctor tells you. Make sure you make a full recovery.
Training and awareness make diving one of the safest sports. Remember that all the training you receive is for a reason. Don’t just see it as an exam to pass. Do not hesitate to ask your instructors any questions you have during and after the course.
Remember, there is no such thing as a silly question, it is good to learn.
Safe and Enjoyable Diving
