Loosing air through tearducts

[Bandos]

Hello everybody,
I was wondering if anyone of you has advice on the following problem: While equalizing I push air through my left tearduct. This is no big problem until I do my mouthfill. Then I slowly loose the stored air through the tearduct. This happens very quickly and if I keep my eyes open I would loose my MF within a distance of 20-30m. So I have to keep my eyes shut very firmly while keeping the MF. The problem is that usually on the deeper part of my descent no matter how hard I close my eyes, air still slowy leaks from the left tearduct, "robbing" a lot of air from my MF. This effect is identical with mask or noseclip.

This doesn't happen everyday, so I'm trying to find out ways, methods, maybe even diets that affect the patency of the tearduct valve. I would be glad if any one of you had any ideas.

Thanks!

 

[Simos]

This effect is identical with mask or noseclip.

Have you tried with a pirate-style eye-patch? rofl

 

[dimitris33]

Try to dive with swimming pool goggles and noseclip. The air will be trapped within the goggles and will equalize the pressure but make sure that this is happens on both eyes!

Otherwise, try drinking a lot of milk and less water as it seems that your head canals are very wide!!

 

[Simos]

Sounds surprising that you lose that much air. Are you equalising the mask fully before taking the MF?

 

[Bandos]

Of course I could use that air to equalize goggles. The problem is that it is not consistent, so it could be strong on one day and completely closed on the next or it could even shut down during the dive. Usually it's too much air. I equalize the mask only once, just before the MF.
Consuming dairy products before the dive is the closest that I could get to a solution. The increased amount of mucus seems to "block" the tearduct valve, but it also comes with sticky / slow ears...

 

[dimitris33]

True. You cannot choose where the increased mucus you would like to go. I cannot think any solution at all.

It is a big challenge and the only idea I have now is to try pipe goggles with a one way valve at the end of the pipe so that you can blow with your mouth but you cannot suck air back. So if the moutfill lost through the tearducts you have the benefit of the equalized goggles but if this not happen then you will be again able to equalize your goggles with your mouth and keep your mouthfill.

Little complicated..

 

[Jouskari]

I actually have the opposite experience with fluid goggels. They leak right into my nose through the tear channel. It´s not optimal, and as in your case it´s very unconsistant and usually bugs me as hell. Only solution so far is to close my eyes hard and just do short peeks.

 

[Serena South]

I would recommend going to an ENT. I was occasionally losing air out of a tear duct, and it turned out that I had a severely deviated septum, as well as a bone spur at the back of my palate that blocked much of my airflow. According to my doctor, the combination of these two blockages made eddies of air when I equalized, instead of an even, directional flow.

I had surgery last week and am hoping that equalization will become much easier, and also less "through the eye."

 

[island_sands]

Of course I could use that air to equalize goggles. The problem is that it is not consistent, so it could be strong on one day and completely closed on the next or it could even shut down during the dive. Usually it's too much air. I equalize the mask only once, just before the MF.
Consuming dairy products before the dive is the closest that I could get to a solution. The increased amount of mucus seems to "block" the tearduct valve, but it also comes with sticky / slow ears...

my left tearduct loses air too, and it is also intermittent, together with ear/mucus behaviour. it is the oddest thing, but great for equalising the mask

I close my eyes and the escaping air subsides.