With SCUBA diving it isn't how deep you go or how long you stay there. It is how quickly you come up. Especially the last few metres when the % change is the greatest.
In recent years doppler ultrasound has been used to detect microbubble formation, so the science is increasingly well understood.
What is amazing is how Haldane's empirical approach, done during WW1, still stands up today with compartments, half times, diffusion and on/off gassing.
Most divers today carry a computer that measures pressure and time, applying them to an algorithm and then informing the diver how to act. The more sophisticated of these also continually analyse the gas mix that the diver is breathing and apply this to the algorithm.
When doing ordinary no decompression stop diving I tend to follow the following rules. When ascending stop at half maximum depth for two minutes, this allows the full circulation to pass through the lungs, removing microbubbles. A further 2 minute stop at half the remaining depth (ie 25% of maximum depth). Repeat till a 2 minute stop at 6 metres, then again at 3 metres. Ascending very slowly from 6 metres to 3 metres to the surface.
Once ascent has been started never descend again as it allows microbubbles to get over to the arterial side.
PADI recommend a 3 minute safety stop at 5 metres. This is easier for most novice divers than 3 metres. However I see most divers make this stop then fin straight up to the surface. This is very silly as a fast ascent when the % change is so high is asking for problems.