Did you know that swimming has a significant impact on our ocular health?
Whether you swim a lap or two just for leisure or you’re a competitive swimmer, you cannot escape the irritants or harsh chemicals in pool water. Have you ever wondered why the eyes are red after swimming? Most people are ignorant that swimmers face unique challenges and that our eyes need protection and care even in water.
In this blog post, we will explore the common issues that swimmers face and provide practical tips and solutions for protecting your ocular health in water; let’s dive into the world of swimming and eye health, shall we?`
THE EFFECT OF CHLORINE IN SWIMMING POOLS ON THE EYES
Well, we’ll focus on chlorine as it plays an essential role in the disinfection of swimming pools. Unfortunately, this beneficial chemical can also wreak havoc on the eyes. You may be wondering how it does that, right? Now, our eyes have tear films on the cornea (the outer most transparent layer covering the front of each of our eyes), which can act as a protective barrier for dirt and germs. However, there are plenty of bacteria in water, so chlorine is put in swimming pools to kill germs, but it doesn’t just do that: it also strips away the tear film on the eyes, which makes the eyes vulnerable to infections; this simply means tear film is a protective barrier made up of oil, water, and mucous covering the cornea. However, chlorine exposure can lead to dry eye syndrome, a condition in which the tear film covering the cornea is not properly functioning.
We will stop here for today, and in our next post, we hope to help you understand the importance of eye care for swimmers and provide you with the knowledge needed to keep your eyes healthy in water, so stay tuned. If you have any questions or concerns concerning the eye, contact TREETOP VISION EYE CENTRE (TREVEC), the best eye clinic in Utako, Abuja.
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