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It was probably the first thing you noticed as a kid, jumping excitedly into the pool for the first time after learning how to swim, ready to take on the ocean and all of its underwater creatures. But then you realise – you can’t see underwater without your goggles. Everything is blurry. You end up accepting this is as a fact, either closing your eyes underwater, wearing goggles, or keeping them open and ending up with sore red eyes after your swim.
But why does the water look blurry when you open your eyes underwater? Why aren’t we able to see the same as we can see above water? And for the fearless ones who open them anyway – how do you get rid of blurry eyes from swimming?
Why do things look blurry underwater?
Understanding the reason why things don’t look as crisp underwater requires a little bit of a science lesson. We love science lessons here at Ninja Shark (when they’re related to snorkelling, anyway…) So basically, the reason we can see anything we do is because of light. That should be an obvious one. Light rays travel through the air all the time, and they bend as they travel between one medium and another. The amount of bending that light does depends on this thing called ‘refractive indices’. Let’s not worry about that too much.
The point is, water has nearly the same refractive index as the human cornea (that’s your eye), meaning there’s not much room for the light rays to bend. This basically prevents the eye from being allowed to focus, making things look blurry. What’s happening here is that light rays reach the retina before they’re able to bend into a focused image. It’s pretty much the same as having a projector placed too close to the wall, or the camera too close to your face. There’s not enough space for the image to focus.
How do goggles and masks allow us to see underwater?
So how come we can see underwater when we wear goggles or a snorkel mask? Good question! What’s happening here is that a snorkel mask will create a layer of air between the human eye and water. Air has a different refractive index to both water and the human eye, giving light ample space to bend and create a focused image. We can always see if there’s air in front of our eyes, can’t we?
Why does my vision improve with a snorkel mask?
A lot of people feel that their vision is vastly improved when they wear a snorkel mask underwater. Things look crystal clear, and sometimes even better than they do above water. What’s the reason for that? Well, flat snorkel masks offer a superior field of vision, and often magnify objects by up to 33%. Things can also look as though they are up to four times closer than they actually are. So basically, everything looks bigger and closer to you, giving you the impression that your vision has been improved.
How do you get rid of sore eyes after swimming?
So, you’ve realised that you can’t see properly underwater yet you’ve decided to go for it anyway. You do you, buddy! If you’re experiencing red, sore, or irritated eyes after going for an open-eyed swim without your goggles, here’s how you can find relief:
The answer is: too many! Traditional snorkel masks can be uncomfortable and scary for many people, so the beauty of snorkelling goes undiscovered and unexperienced. Whether it's breathing difficulties, choking on sea water, or foggy goggles, there's a lot that prevents people from enjoying the wonderful sport of snorkelling. And that thought makes us sad.
We think everyone should be able to enjoy the underwater world - safely, comfortably, and easily. That's why we created Ninja Shark and our revolutionary line of full face snorkel masks. They're designed to be super comfy, easy-to-use, and make snorkelling accessible for all. Because nobody should miss out on discovering what's under the sea.
While other water equipments companies offer just a way to look under the water, NINJASHARK wants to create an amazing experience for water enthusiasts. That's why we listen to your feedbacks and we develop products based on them.
“The mask include GOPRO mounts, so you can easily film and photograph underwater scenery! I highly recommend especially to people who have a fear of snorkeling! This mask is really easy to use and is safe!” said @lud.around. “I can’t wait for my next trip with my new mask!”