Can you dive with keratoconus?

Medical-QandA-eyes

Approved Medical Examiner of Divers Dr Oliver Firth answers your medical questions – this time he advises on whether thinning corneas (keratoconus) can stop you from diving, and whether it’s safe to dive with a prosthetic testicle replacement.

Question: I was hoping you could give me some advice concerning an operation I am having soon. Due to a twisted testicle I am having an orchidectomy and have been offered a prosthetic testicle replacement. I have concerns whether a silicone or saline implant is suitable and safe for a saturation diving environment. I have read reports on the net that although there are no gas cavities within the implant there is a possibility that pressurised helium can diffuse into the implant causing problems. Any advice you could give me relating to this would be truly gratefully received.

Answer: OK, first bit of advice – never trust anything you read on the net. Abraham Lincoln said that. Or was it Churchill? In any case, a lot more useful than my terrifying aunt’s advice when she was looking after me as a spotty teenager with zero confidence: “You can find sympathy in the dictionary, between shit and syphilis.”

Back to your two veg. There seems to be relatively little information available on this particular issue in diving. Whether that is simply because it’s uncommon, or because divers aren’t willing to declare the issue, I don’t know. A similar situation exists with breast implants and again I can find few reports on safety whilst diving, but there is very little evidence that it causes problems in practice.

Implants these days are generally fluid-filled and essentially incompressible, hence pressure changes should not affect them. I would make the surgeon aware of your job and concerns, but as there are no air cavities in the prosthesis, there is no risk of it imploding or exploding. As you say, there is a theoretical risk that helium can diffuse into the implant, but with the amount of gas loading we are talking about, I imagine the risk of a problem is minimal. Depending on the reason you require an orchidectomy, there might be other issues which have an impact on diving safety, so I’d always advise a check-up with dive doc before taking the plunge.

Question: I have a keratoconus, a thinning of the cornea in my left eye. It hasn’t stopped me from diving so far, but since I’m considering going pro I would like to know if a keratoconus is really a no-no condition which excludes diving. Mine has been stable so far and I’m told does not require surgery.

Answer: A friend rang me recently in a state of hysteria. She’d been all set to get laser surgery for short-sightedness but was declined on the basis of the same thing –. Since the laser basically slices off layers of cornea, if it’s too thin to start with you can’t really go ahead. Apparently she used to rub her eyes constantly, which has over time worn the corneas away. In extreme cases, the cornea becomes so thin that it ruptures and fluid-filled swellings form on the surface, and a corneal transplant is required urgently to avoid loss of the eye.

Diving-wise, the condition itself is not affected by pressure or depth changes.
The risk is largely down to mask squeeze. If the cornea is sufficiently thin, and a negative pressure builds up in the air-filled mask space, then theoretically this could lead to rupture through the weakest point of the cornea. The current method of dealing with this is to use rigid but gas-permeable contact lenses. Gas-permeable lenses avoid the problem of bubbles becoming trapped between the lens and eye, whilst strengthening the cornea to stop it rupturing.

The time course of keratoconus is variable: some are stable indefinitely while others progress rapidly or get unpredictable exacerbations, so if you’re considering turning pro then it will be important for you to keep a close eye on the condition (a pun punishable by sustained and merciless flogging; I do apologise).

Also do check Diving with diabetes

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@jaketarren
#askmark Heyo!  Been learning about sidemount and I'm having a hard time finding a clear example of how to rig the tanks.  I know it'll be covered in the training, but I need to know what to get before I take the class, there isn't a good sidemount shop near me.

Can you show how sidemount tanks and deco/stage tanks are rigged please?

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๐ŸŽฌSuggested videos for you:

โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0e1UkNqC64
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzpChck2t38
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โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Y6wIOKde48 

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@jaketarren
#askmark Heyo! Been learning about sidemount and I'm having a hard time finding a clear example of how to rig the tanks. I know it'll be covered in the training, but I need to know what to get before I take the class, there isn't a good sidemount shop near me.

Can you show how sidemount tanks and deco/stage tanks are rigged please?

Please visit our website for more Scuba news, underwater photography, hints & advice, and travel reports: https://divernet.com/

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=============================

๐ŸŽฌSuggested videos for you:

โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0e1UkNqC64
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzpChck2t38
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xssfyMuHLA
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abJeh86OTI4
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtBi7RP71Rs
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vk0dB7AsMfY
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mv-PnILYPlI
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMCYT_KB4pU
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcqdceF8LIk
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKboVxFhqZU
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLHCpnu4EAo
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWdE_wABwPQ
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siXAoUDrJZA
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7MfATRd5Os
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Y6wIOKde48

=================================

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Welcome to Scuba Diver Magazine! Weโ€™re passionate about everything related to the underwater world. As a free distribution magazine in Europe, ANZ, and North America, we bring you the latest in scuba diving, from epic dive travel destinations and honest gear reviews to expert advice, news, and inspiring underwater stories.

Whether youโ€™re a seasoned diver or just starting your underwater journey, our content is designed to keep you informed, inspired, and ready for your next dive. Get in, explore, and stay connected to the world of scuba diving with us! Join us and never miss an adventure!

For Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:

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YouTube Video UEw2X2VCMS1KYWdWbXFQSGV1YW84WVRHb2pFNkl3WlRSZS4wMUIwQkI1NEQ1RTFBNTND

How Do You Rig a Sidemount Cylinder?

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@martink72
#askmark How do I attach a flashing light to my twin or single cylinder so that my buddy can see/find me even in poor visibility or at night? The typical lanyard on these things always let the light fall downwards and obscure it.
Please visit our website for more Scuba news, underwater photography, hints & advice, and travel reports: https://divernet.com/ 

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=============================

๐ŸŽฌSuggested videos for you:

โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0e1UkNqC64
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzpChck2t38
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xssfyMuHLA
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abJeh86OTI4
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtBi7RP71Rs
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vk0dB7AsMfY
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mv-PnILYPlI
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMCYT_KB4pU
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcqdceF8LIk
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โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLHCpnu4EAo
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWdE_wABwPQ
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siXAoUDrJZA
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7MfATRd5Os
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Y6wIOKde48 

=================================

โœ… About Scuba Diver Magazine.

Welcome to Scuba Diver Magazine! Weโ€™re passionate about everything related to the underwater world. As a free distribution magazine in Europe, ANZ, and North America, we bring you the latest in scuba diving, from epic dive travel destinations and honest gear reviews to expert advice, news, and inspiring underwater stories.

Whether youโ€™re a seasoned diver or just starting your underwater journey, our content is designed to keep you informed, inspired, and ready for your next dive. Get in, explore, and stay connected to the world of scuba diving with us! Join us and never miss an adventure!

For Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:

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๐Ÿ”” Love scuba diving? Subscribe now for dive travel tips, gear reviews, scuba advice, epic dives, diving news, and underwater stories!
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@martink72
#askmark How do I attach a flashing light to my twin or single cylinder so that my buddy can see/find me even in poor visibility or at night? The typical lanyard on these things always let the light fall downwards and obscure it.
Please visit our website for more Scuba news, underwater photography, hints & advice, and travel reports: https://divernet.com/

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=============================

๐ŸŽฌSuggested videos for you:

โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0e1UkNqC64
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzpChck2t38
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xssfyMuHLA
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abJeh86OTI4
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtBi7RP71Rs
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vk0dB7AsMfY
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mv-PnILYPlI
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMCYT_KB4pU
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcqdceF8LIk
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKboVxFhqZU
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLHCpnu4EAo
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWdE_wABwPQ
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siXAoUDrJZA
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7MfATRd5Os
โ–ถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Y6wIOKde48

=================================

โœ… About Scuba Diver Magazine.

Welcome to Scuba Diver Magazine! Weโ€™re passionate about everything related to the underwater world. As a free distribution magazine in Europe, ANZ, and North America, we bring you the latest in scuba diving, from epic dive travel destinations and honest gear reviews to expert advice, news, and inspiring underwater stories.

Whether youโ€™re a seasoned diver or just starting your underwater journey, our content is designed to keep you informed, inspired, and ready for your next dive. Get in, explore, and stay connected to the world of scuba diving with us! Join us and never miss an adventure!

For Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:

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๐Ÿ”” Love scuba diving? Subscribe now for dive travel tips, gear reviews, scuba advice, epic dives, diving news, and underwater stories!
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YouTube Video UEw2X2VCMS1KYWdWbXFQSGV1YW84WVRHb2pFNkl3WlRSZS42MzYyQ0E2MUE4ODAzQkU5

How Can I Attach a Flashing Light Strobe To Myself So My Buddy Can See Me? #askmark #scubadiving

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The information in this video is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional SCUBA Training or recommendations for every manufacturer. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in this video is for general information purposes only and does not replace training from a qualified Dive Instructor or specific requirements from equipment manufacturers.

YouTube Video UEw2X2VCMS1KYWdWbXFQSGV1YW84WVRHb2pFNkl3WlRSZS43RkJGOTAwRDhCOEQ1RjIy

Is This The Best Dive Center Ever? W\@wakatobidiveresort

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