Goggle Questions & Answers
Answers to questions:
1. Do you have to blink when wearing fluid goggles?
- Answer: if you use 'saline' contact lens solution, no, you never have to blink, although I recommend that you blink once in a while
2. Does seawater hurt the eyes?
Answer: It depends which ocean you dive in. Near where I live the water is not salty at all, and it doesn't hurt much, but it isn't very comfortable. In the mediterranean it burns a lot (more salt). Also, you will feel the need to blink when using seawater.
You cannot and should not use seawater if you use regular contact lenses. They will get infected permanantly.
3. Cold water: Do your eyes freeze?
Answer: It depends which kind of goggle you use. The nirvana goggles have thermal insulation, so you can use them in cold water (8C), but even then your eyes still get very cold. With the stereo or hybrid/cyclops goggles, there is no thermal insulation, so your eyes can get so cold that you must either keep them closed or take the goggles off. However, the cold eyes has a major advantage: HUGE diving reflex. The eyes are the main receptor to initiate the diving reflex, and a mask prevents them from touching the water (so people take off their mask for 'facial immersion.') But with the goggles you get CONSTANT facial immersion, and I notice a much stronger diving reflex when diving with fluid goggles in cold water. Drawback: Cold eyes also cool your head, and increase CO2 narcosis at great depths.
4. Do the goggles work in fresh water?
Answer: Yes, but if you fill the goggles with the fresh water it will hurt like crazy, and again your contact lenses would get infected if you wear them and fill the goggles with fresh water.
5. Tiny bubbles of air: What happens?
Answer: Not much. If you fill the goggles 95%+ full of liquid, the air bubbles (if any) will get squashed when the goggle gently presses against your face. If you leave 20% or more of the goggle empty with air, you will get a 'goggle squeeze' if you continue to descend. Usually the squeeze will eventually stop when all the air is 'squashed', but it depends how much air was in the goggle to start off with.
6. Hard to put on?
The goggles come with a special 'tip' to put onto a contact lens solution bottle that allows you to fill the goggles easily. You put the goggles on empty, then you slip the 'tip' under the upper part of the gasket and squeeze the bottle, filling up the goggles. It does take a little practice to get it 100% full, but once you get it, it's easy. Filling them up with sea or lake water is very easy, just put your face in the water, and pull the goggles away from your face.
I always use saline in my goggles, but Yasemin and David always use seawater. Some people like Andy LeSauce bought goggles with the intention of using seawater, but then found it hurt too much!
More questions?
Eric Fattah
BC, Canada