Prevent Red Eyes While Swimming

"Pool eyes" are red, itchy eyes that result from swimming underwater. There are a number of factors that can make pool water irritating.

Burning, irritated eyes can turn a normally enjoyable swimming pool experience into one that a person would prefer to avoid. Swimming with itchy, red eyes can be uncomfortable and embarrassing.

If people complain of burning eyes or throat while swimming, it's not necessarily a problem of too much chlorine sanitizer, but could be caused by poor overall pool chemistry. Pool water needs to have a careful and proper mix of factors for clean, safe water. If one of these factors is not right, there can be a chemical imbalance.

There are a number of reasons why burning eyes can occur.

Improper pH: Either it is too high or too low. Use a pH tester to check the levels. The water should be neutral.

Low total alkalinity (TA): When this occurs, the pool's walls and floor can stain, the water can turn green, eyes may burn, and the pH can bounce from high to low.

High calcium hardness: Scale formation can occur on pool surfaces and pipes and filters may become clogged. Due to the level of difficulty involved when addressing high calcium hardness, a pool professional may have to help resolve this issue.

Presence of chloramines: Chloramines form when chlorine reacts with ammonia. Ammonia enters the pool through sweat and urine. It is important to teach children not to urinate in pool water. Also, showering before swimming can remove excess sweat that interacts with chlorine.

Too much chlorine: Individuals who use high doses of chlorine to "shock" the pool when it's particularly dirty or has a lot of algae may find that red eyes occur. This is one instance when the chlorine itself could be the cause. No one should swim in the pool until the chlorine levels have dropped to an acceptable range.

To prevent "pool eyes" it's best to treat the chemical imbalances first and see if that resolves the problem. One can also use goggles when swimming underwater to protect sensitive eyes even more.