Excess chlorine in pools cause eye infections, skin irritation: Doctors

When chlorine combines with these chemicals, they form chloramines and can cause ailments like irritation of skin, eyes and respiratory tract.

Hyderabad: Swimming pools are fun places during the hot summer as many flock to such facilities for some cool time. However, one must be wary of the amount of chlorine that swimming pools use and the resultant health implications.

Apart from precautions to prevent accidental drowning, there are several measures that have to be taken against eye ailments, swimming pool conjunctivitis, skin ailments, that adults and children must follow.

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Swimming pool managements tend to utilise excessive chlorination to reduce infections. However, excess chlorine causes eye infections, swimming pool conjunctivitis, intense burning of eyes and even blurring of vision. Therefore, adequate eye protection against chlorine is mandatory in swimming pool.

Chlorine also combines with body waste that swimmers bring into pools like sweat, urine, faeces, dirt, skin cells, deodorants etc.

When chlorine combines with these chemicals, they form chloramines and can cause ailments like irritation of skin, eyes and respiratory tract.

Avoid pool when sick Doctors also advise against entering the pool if one has cough, cold, runny nose, or red eye with discharge to avoid transmitting the virus to others. Swimming pool conjunctivitis, where you develop a red eye after swimming, is common, particularly in crowded pools without proper sanitisation.

Itchy eyes and congested eyes are common after long hours in the pool; it may be due to an allergy to the chlorine or even due to dryness. Any over-the-counter (OTC) eye lubricating drops can be safely applied, to relieve you of this problem. Doctors also advise people to avoid wearing contact lens while swimming in the pool.