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When diving, you can use saliva or commercial defog to prevent your mask from fogging. However, according to WikiHow, bacteria in saliva are potentially harmful to your eyes.

Beware of using spit - there are a lot of bugs in saliva that you don't want in your eyes.

Is there any substantive risk of getting a bacterial infection in your eyes in this way?

Sklivvz
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  • The fill quote is "*some say* beware of this...". Even WikiHow isn't convinced. And how does the saliva get from the glass to your eyes? – DJClayworth Feb 06 '12 at 18:12
  • I do this all the time, when sea weeds are not available. Otherwise I find the moss/plants stuck to rocks underwater to work better than spit. – John Alexiou Feb 06 '12 at 20:43
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    If you put so much spit in your mask that your eyes flood, you're overdoing it. – Larry OBrien Feb 06 '12 at 21:03
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    I think this is a valid question. Remember that during a lengthy dive water may well enter the mask and have to be blown out. This does pose a significant risk of getting eyes exposed to eventual bacteria. – Frank Feb 07 '12 at 13:12
  • Well your tear ducts open up into your nasal passage which is linked directly to your mouth so I would suggest it can't be that dangerous. It's not very far for bugs to travel to do some damage, lets face it everybody has spurted coke out of thier nose at some point... – Ardesco Feb 07 '12 at 15:38
  • Hmm. Never had any particular problem (and I've been diving for years all around the world) but I do find the question interesting. – Monkey Tuesday Feb 07 '12 at 18:42
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    I've been told not to wear contacts while diving but it was the bacteria in the *seawater* about which the doctor was concerned. – Larry OBrien Feb 07 '12 at 19:35

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