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Really sore eyes after the swimming pool.

  • 06-02-2010 01:40AM
    #1
    mud
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,699 ✭✭✭


    Hi all,

    I've been swimming lately and while I love it my poor eyes are suffering.

    Even with goggles they are red raw at the end of the swim and take a good few hours to calm down . . not ideal seeing as I go swimming between lectures some days!

    Can anyone recommend anything to ease this?

    Cold used tea-bags work but they are not very easy to have on demand.

    Cheers everyone.
    Tagged:


Comments

  • #2
    Melia
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,175 ✭✭✭Melia


    The pool might have too much chlorine. You could try another pool, or a new pair of goggles.

    Try not to touch or rub your eyes while in or just out of the pool, I find that irritates my eyes.


  • #3
    mud
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,699 ✭✭✭mud


    Melia wrote: »
    The pool might have too much chlorine. You could try another pool, or a new pair of goggles.

    Try not to touch or rub your eyes while in or just out of the pool, I find that irritates my eyes.

    There is a lot of chlorine but have been in ones with less and my eyes react the same.

    Also the pool is on campus so I will continue to use it (dirt cheap)


    Are there any eye-drops or anything that could speed the recovery?


  • #4
    ztoical
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,788 ✭✭✭ztoical


    mud wrote: »
    There is a lot of chlorine but have been in ones with less and my eyes react the same.

    Also the pool is on campus so I will continue to use it (dirt cheap)


    Are there any eye-drops or anything that could speed the recovery?

    Make sure to shower before getting in the pool as the chlorine can have a chemical reaction with small bits of dirt that can cause some of the soreness.

    You can get anti-chlorine soaps [Boots did use to stock anti-chlorine showergel and shampoo but it's been a while since I looked for it] that might help but if they don't and it's really bad might be worth speaking to a doctor, my friend had a very bad reaction [skin and eyes] but got an antihistamine that cleared it right up.


  • #5
    Ciaran500
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,225 ✭✭✭Ciaran500


    Melia wrote: »
    The pool might have too much chlorine. You could try another pool, or a new pair of goggles.
    mud wrote: »
    There is a lot of chlorine but have been in ones with less and my eyes react the same.

    Sounds like not enough chlorine, the chlorine smell most people identify are chloramines which are created when when chlorine partially reacts with urine, sweat, mucus etc. If there is enough chlorine in the pool there will be no smell.


  • #6
    Chris89
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,158 ✭✭✭Chris89


    Im pretty sure it isnt the smell thats hurting his eyes..

    Its actually not the chlorine that hurts your eyes its all the other ****e (probably literally) in the water.


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  • #7
    The Davestator
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,660 ✭✭✭The Davestator


    Ciaran 500 is correct. Chlorine only smells when there is not enough free chlorine, ie fresh chlorine to fight bacteria. Contact mgt and ask to see their pool test results! Ur looking for a free chlorine level of at least 1.


  • #8
    Blacktie.
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,903 ✭✭✭Blacktie.


    Ciaran500 wrote: »
    Sounds like not enough chlorine, the chlorine smell most people identify are chloramines which are created when when chlorine partially reacts with urine, sweat, mucus etc. If there is enough chlorine in the pool there will be no smell.

    This. Should probably consider a new pool if this is the issue as it doesn't seem to hygenic to me!


  • #9
    Red Alert
    Hosted Moderators Posts: 7,486 ✭✭✭Red Alert


    Bizarrely enough if the chlorine level is too low you're much more likely to get eye burn and skin irritation. A stronger smell of chlorine in many cases actually means you need to put more in - it's got to do with how much free chlorine is available vs how much combined chlorine there is (which is gives the smell and the irritation).

    http://www.americanchemistry.com/s_chlorine/sec_content.asp?CID=1196&DID=4529&CTYPEID=107


  • #10
    puredub
    Closed Accounts Posts: 15 ✭puredub


    although the level of chlorine in a pool does not help your situation it is not the cause,the cause of sore eyes in a swimming pool is the actual balance of chemicals known as the PH.The langelier scale of PH ranges approx from 6.8 (very sore eyes) to 8.0 which would be irritating but in a different way.So on the scale 7.0 and below would be acidic and above would be alkali so the closer to 7.2-7.5 would not cause a problem but below these parameters the water becomes acidic and is a danger to swim in.Unfortunately many people in the pools dont understand this and through no fault of their own (not trained properly) .This also leads to very bad ear infections .Murine or maxitrol eye drops will cure the problem, so go find a new pool because they dont know how to maintain correct PH levels:) :)


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