People around the globe are immensely trying to connect using light as a carrier due to its low power consumption and high data transfer rates. Sound and microwaves are examples of other carriers that can be used, although they are not nearly as efficient as light. Using light under the water, refractive index is an important parameter in optical communication. Lights propagation quality depends on the temperature, pressure, and salinity. The aim of this work is to show a new approach to simulating the underwater environment, including depth as one of the parameters. In this paper, the proposed model examines the ultraviolet wavelengths between 200–400 nm wider than previous studies in light traveling. We verify the usefulness of our model by conducting a pilot study in a virtual environment. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.