Dr. Shibu Varkey MS, DO, DNB, FRCS(UK)
Regional medical director, Maxivision Superspeciality Eye Hospital, Tiruchirapalli
Summer is here and it’s time to make a splash in the pool. Trendy swimwear and beachwear flood the market, but will your eyes be safe in the water? Now don’t worry, we offer you these few hints for safe swimming to your eyes.
Be socially conscious and have civic sense:
Do not enter the swimming pool, if you have a cough, cold, runny nose, or red eye with discharge, probably you have a viral infection and you can easily transmit the virus to all the others enjoying the swim that day. Swimming pool conjunctivitis, where you develop a red eye and discharge after swimming, is common, particularly in crowded pools without proper sanitization. People should avoid blowing their noses, spitting, and urinating in the pool.
Swimming gear for the eyes:
Swimming goggles should be watertight and also give clear vision. A good quality goggle not only prevents you from getting swimming pool conjunctivitis but also safeguards your eye from the effect of chlorine in the pool water. Excessive chlorination of swimming pool water though helps to prevent pool-related infections, causes intense burning, redness, and transient blurring of vision.
Get a Pair of Prescription Goggles
Sunglasses aren’t the only prescription eye protection you can wear this summer. If you want to swim without contacts, consider a pair of prescription goggles.
Ditch the Contacts
One of the big tips for protecting your eyes while swimming involves contact lenses. It’s wiser not to wear them underwater. It can lead to a rare infection called “acanthamoeba keratitis.” This amoeba lives in swimming pools that are not properly disinfected and adheres to your contact lenses and infects the cornea. It’s a grave condition as it can cause permanent vision damage.
Eye lubrication:
Itchy eyes and congested eyes are very 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, even without a doctor’s prescription, to relieve you of these itchy problems.
We are here for you:
So guys and gals go ahead take the plunge make a splash, beat the heat in your nearest pool, make friends and have fun. If you need prescription goggles or an eye checkup, pre or post-swimming, don’t hesitate to step into your friendly neighborhood Maxivision Superspeciality eye hospital, we are here near you and for you always.
