Emergency Exit Drills???

[ScubaRob]

Bert puts a shower cap over my mask. I have to admit shower caps covering my mask in the cave don't occur very often, but it does a good job of preventing me from being able to see.

[FW]

At one time, when I was the NSS-CDS Training Director (predates the term Training Chairman), the students were required to close their eyes during simulated no vis drills. It is a lot safer than removing masks, covering masks, turning out lights, etc. Sure they could cheat, but a good instructor can tell, and they are only cheating themselves

[L.A.]

What about a cover made of neoprene to simmulate no light? That's what my instructor in Mexico used. It blocks all light, the instructor can keep his light on to observe, and the student can call 'kings X' by removing the blinder if he/she gets overwhelmed.

It looked and function much like a sleep mask.

[giles45shop]

At one time, when I was the NSS-CDS Training Director (predates the term Training Chairman), the students were required to close their eyes during simulated no vis drills. It is a lot safer than removing masks, covering masks, turning out lights, etc. Sure they could cheat, but a good instructor can tell, and they are only cheating themselves

Yep. That's how my instructor trained me.

[CaveBuddy95]

At one time, when I was the NSS-CDS Training Director (predates the term Training Chairman), the students were required to close their eyes during simulated no vis drills. It is a lot safer than removing masks, covering masks, turning out lights, etc. Sure they could cheat, but a good instructor can tell, and they are only cheating themselves

I have to agree!
Navy Seals training is only on the rock...St Clement Island!!
I think the training is hard enough to add things just to make the course Navy-like!
One could say, the more the merrier and it's right but adding stress where it is already high does not make the situation more realistic.

With all due respect to the US Navy Seals.

[WEPIV]

One of my best dives at Peacock was doing a no lights line drill from about six hundred feet or so in on the peanut line. It was, I guess, like being in an ESP or whatever you call the water tanks out in California.
My eyes got so use to the darkness that I was able to see the dim glow from the cavern from what seemed like a couple hundred feet in.
Also, on another dive at Little River, we decided to do a no lights line exit up the chimney and out to the cavern. That was interesting as the line had gotten pulled under the ledge right after the chimney as you're coming out. We had to take a few minutes to understand what was happening and then to gently pull the line out so we could make progress.

[Cleavitt]

If you want something simple to help you resists the reaction to open your eyes why not just flood your mask at the start of the drill. The water in your mask should make it feel more natural to have your eyes closed. It doesn't require special equipment. If the poo hits the fan you can simply clear your mask and deal with it.

Anyone practicing these sort of drills outside of formal training is not going to be cheating intentionally. It's just going to be a natural reaction during a moment of confusion or task loading.