In brief: Swimming goggles protect the eyes from chemical irritants and provide the swimmer with better vision in the water. However, they present a hazard when worn during a surface dive to the bottom of a pool. Because goggles are rigid, the only mechanism for equalizing pressure during descent is the movement of the eye and surrounding soft tissues into the air space of the goggles. If equalization does not occur and negative pressure develops, capillary rupture and hemorrhage are possible. A brief survey of the air-volume capacity of several brands of goggles indicates that they may cause problems when diving deeper than 6 to 11 ft below the surface.