Oxygen toxicity has been known since the 19th century, but we are still learning about its causes and mechanisms. In diving practices of years past, pure oxygen and gas mixtures with oxygen content different than that of air were used exclusively by military and commercial divers. In the last several decades enriched air nitrox (EAN) became a part of mainstream recreational diving, while technical diving, which maximizes the use of oxygen to minimize decompression risks, is becoming increasingly popular. The accumulated experience in recreational and technical diving now exceeds the previous experience of military and commercial diving. Both scientific research and diving practices advanced our knowledge of oxygen toxicity, and from time to time we should take a step back to make sure we are all sharing the benefits of this knowledge.
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