Eyesight at depth

[rustferret]

Although I wear varifocal glasses I have always found that my vision is fine under water and I am able to see close up and distance........ well as much as the viz will allow.
However over the last year or so I have started to find that if I go beyond 35 meters I have problems seeing the smaller numbers on my dive computer, I have had my eyes tested and they have not changed so this seems to be depth related. I am looking at having small reading lenses fitted in the bottom part of my mask for use at depth, but wondered if any one else had come across this.
Restferret.

[SilvaFish]

Eyeballs are fluid filled and hence cannot be compressed in depth - I think?

But, another possibility could be narcosis affecting your perception of eyesight? I usually find that I can see alright at depth, but my short term memory gets the goldfish treatment.

Lou

[andrallan]

It may simply be that at 35m there is less total light entering the eye which makes any visual defect more obvious
I have suffered from the same problem for a couple of years (this getting older busness is a pain, next thing folks will want me to grow up!). I found that a "Guage Reader" mask was the answer.

[ianfirmin]

Or if you have a favourite mask try stick-on half-moon lenses. Buy a pair stronger than your normal strength reading glasses. You only need to use one. Save the other as a spare. Stuck inside the mask them seem to stay put for ever. Stuck on the outside they do not.. Doh...

[rustferret]

Thanks for the suggestions, I dont think is lack of light is the problem as I have been night diving and never had a problem, and I am considering the lenses option you sugested.

Regards

Rustferret.

[Mrs F]

Rustferret,

Do you have problems reading your smaller figures on shallow dives, as you do on deeper dives?

If not, then it must be depth related some how. I take it you can't focus on them due to the small size of the figures - is there something you could put on the computer to magnify it??? (I don't know, thus posting this!)

If not, ever thought of laser eye treatment, I had it done 2 yrs ago and it's been amazing since! My prescription was -3.75, so fairly blind and it has worked wonders!

Rachael

[rustferret]

Mrs F I am sure its down to depth and Im looking at inserts for the lenses of my mask. I have no trouble reading all date at shallow depth. I have a friend who is an HSE dive doc so will also check out with him when I next see him.

I'll keep you all posted.

Rustferret.

[Fee]

My other half is an optician and tells me that this is likely to be a combination of things:
1. You are effectively more myopic (short-sighted) at depth as your pupil dilates as it gets darker.
2. your contrast sensitivity is also decreased

[triplefin]

I can also say that my eyesight is cr@p underwater. Half the time I cant see the stuff I'm taking a photo of in the little screen and just have to remember is was sitting next to the pink shell (or whatever) and make sure the pink shell is in the pic where I want it. Thats probably why I have to crop so many of my pics cos the actual placement of things is very hit an miss. Unfortunately I like taking macro pics but I'd really be better off taking pics of nice big wrecks.
I am also shortsighted but wear lenses and apparently as you get older your eyes cant make the adjustments back and forth for looking in the distance and then down at the computer quite as well as they used to.

[rustferret]

Thanks tripplefin but my eyesight is spot on until I get below 35 meters.

Rustferret.