A Short History Of Scuba Masks
Since the human eye is not designed to see in water, anyone who enters the sub-aquatic realm must wear a facemask in order to see; the reason for this is that the optical density of water is completely different to air for which the eye is designed. Allowing for an air gap between the eye and the water overcomes this limitation - we can focus underwater and vision is restored.
A scuba mask is a relatively simple device, consisting of a glass lens, a rubber skirt that seals against the face and a strap to fasten it. The original face masks were often crudely fashioned at home from a piece of circular glass and bicycle inner tube, but by the end of the 1950s mask design was beginning to evolve from this circular design to an oval, allowing for a wider field of view.
A further development in the 1960s occurred when two panes of glass were added to the sides of scuba masks, further increasing peripheral vision but with the side effect of increasing internal volume, making this type of mask harder to equalize or clear. The solution was provided by the first low-profile scuba masks; whereas masks before this had been worn over the eyes and nose, low-profile masks featured a nose pocket below the lens that allowed the glass to be closer to the eyes, reducing the volume of air contained within the mask,.
Another difference in scuba mask design is in the material of the skirt; originally this was made from neoprene, but silicone has been used since the 1980s; it is more comfortable for the diver due to its greater flexibility and longer lasting because it is less susceptible to damage from sunlight.
Modern scuba masks generally consist of a lightweight plastic frame, glass lenses and a silicone rubber skirt. It is interesting to note that although silicone can be translucent, the skirt on modern scuba masks is often coloured black, just as with the original neoprene masks.
David Leigh regularly dives on Spain’s Costa Brava. You can read more about scuba masks at http://www.CostaBravaScubaDiving.com
Tags: scuba diving equipment, scuba mask, scuba masks