Opening eyes under water

lisajane

I have been learning how to swim over the past few weeks. Im not very good at it but i like it.
I have been swimming with goggles and i would like to try without them. Im not always going to have them, especially if i fall into the sea.
I have seen people swim without them so i know it can be done but i think i just have a fear of opening my eyes. I cant even have my face under the flow of water in the shower.
I have tried filling the sink with water and trying to open my eyes under the water but seems like a reflex action where once something is in my eye, i have to close them.
Has anyone ever had this problem before? How do i get over this?

And my next question for when i do open my eyes under water. Does salty water do anything on the eyes - im hoping to spend this summer swimming at a beach.

PTG

Lisajane, basically opening your eyes in clear clean water you will be absolutely fine there'll be no reprocutions as such, although you wont be able to see a thing, and as you are just learning to swim its unlikely you possess the balance and where with all to "feel" where your going. As for swimming in a pool or the sea, your not gonna do any permanant damage, just make your eyes sting ALOT, id strongly advise getting a pair of goggles you feel comfortable with, experiment with a few different pairs if you must, but do use them, that way you'll get to a point where you are completely comfortable in the water and will have the neccessary "feel" where if you were to find yourself in a situation where you had to swim without you would be able to. Keep it up and keep enjoying it

Killgore Trout

Forgot my goggles swimming in the sea last week (whilst on holiday) , can't say salt water stung at all. Swimming pool can causes me some redness and mild discomfort after i get out if i haven't been using goggles, but it clears up pretty quick. You'll be able to see, but everything is blurred.

I guess retrieving things of the bottom of the pool while you're not wearing any goggles might get you opening your eyes

AngryHippie

The eye sting depends on the pH of the water and the free and combined chlorine in the pool, most well balanced pools will sting a little, and leave the eyes feeling dry afterward for a few hours. it won't do your eyes any harm at all, but for the discomfort/annoyance factor, its worth getting a decent pair of goggles (a la aquasphere). In the sea, the salt does give a little sting, but once your eyes are rinsed with fresh, its gone,
If you are doing a lot of sea and pool swimming, I would suggest a low profile diving mask, they will improve the clarity and field of vision for the sea, and are just as easy to use in the pool, most have a nose piece as part of the face seal, which you may or may not want.


As for training yourself to open your eyes, get your head underwater in the pool, Most of the bacteria and particles (harmless but present) in a pool are in the top six inches of the water. I find the water at the surface to be a little harder on my eyes than mid depth. Try pushing off the wall underwater and opening your eyes as you glide along. Focus is poor without goggles, so you'll be doing well to make out the grout between the tiles, but give it time and you will get used to the poor image and be able to make out objects on the bottom.
Patience is probably the biggest part of it