Why Do My Eyes Hurt After Swimming in the Pool?
What makes our eyes red in the swimming pool is actually the
urine in the pool combined with the sweat and oils from the skin
interacting with the chlorine in the pool, making chloramine.
Chloramines are derivatives of ammonia where hydrogen atoms
are replaced with chlorine atoms. It’s this chemical compound that
not only irritates our eyes but can also be an irritant to the lungs
and skin of swimmers as well.
In one study, researchers tested 31 pools in 2017 and found urine
in every pool they tested. On average there were 8 gallons of urine
in a medium sized 110,000 gallon pool. One hotel hot tub tested
had three times the urine level of the worst swimming pool.
The pool smell we all associate with pool fun isn’t the smell of
the chlorine but the chloramines in the water. It is not the smell
of too much chlorine, but often, not enough chlorine. Generally,
the stronger the smell of “chlorine” a pool has, the more caution
you should exercise in swimming in that pool. A well-maintained
swimming pool has almost no odor.
The best rules for swimming are:
1. Shower ahead of time to help wash off sweat, perfume,
or oils.
2. Rub suntan lotion deep into your skin before entering the pool.
Properly applied suntan lotion should not be visible to the eye after
applied correctly. Also, wait a few minutes before entering the
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pool. Applying sunscreen seconds before jumping in will do no one
any good as it will wash off immediately.
3, Do not swim if suffering from any form of diarrhea.
4. Do not urinate in the pool!!
5. Do not wear contact lenses at the pool. They will either come out
of your eyes, or absorb whatever is in the water resulting in a high
risk of eye infection.
6. Wear sunglasses! Water reflects the UV rays from the sun mak-
ing the glare and brightness much more intense, increasing sun
damage risk to your eyes.
Since most of us swim in community pools where instituting
these common sense rules rely on everyone voluntarily comply-
ing with the rules will be virtually impossible, we suggest wearing
swim goggles when swimming laps or doing much of anything that
requires your eyes to be exposed to pool water for any length of
time. We also suggest rinsing off pool water after getting home to
make sure no nasty germs or parasites find a nice home with you.
We certainly don’t want to be a downer and scare you away from
the pool. People have always peed in the pool, and probably always
will. We just want to arm you with the facts and make you more
aware of the risks.
With that said, have a wonderful summer, wherever you swim!
Partially sourced from The Optical Vision Site.
Provided by Antone Optical.
Thank you Prescott Valley for voting us your
“Best eye care center”
again for 2017
That’s 10 years in a row!!
Teri Antone
(Independent Survey by Market Surveys of America)
Comprehensive
Eye Exams Available
Dr. Renita Frost, O.D.
Ind. Doctor of Optometry
Terri Antone A.B.O.C.
AZ Licensed Optician
Terri Antone A.B.O.C. Dr. Renita Frost, O.D.
Skilled Professionals • Personalized Service
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12 August 2018 pccnews