The Really Gross Reason Your Eyes Turn Red at the Pool
Turns out, it's not just the chlorine.
By Megan Friedman
Get ready to be grossed out. When you emerge from the swimming pool with red, irritated eyes, it's way more than just chlorine that is causing all that itchiness. Actually, it's mostly pee, Women's Health reports.
"Chlorine binds with all the things it's trying to kill from your bodies, and it forms these chemical irritants," Michael J. Beach from the Centers for Disease Control told the magazine. "That's what's stinging your eyes. It's the chlorine binding to the urine and the sweat." Another bad side effect: When chlorine binds to these bodily fluids, it makes it less effective at keeping the pool clean. And that "blue dye" that supposedly exposes people peeing? It's not real.
Sadly, all that gunk you're exposed to at the pool could be making you sick. According to the CDC, the germs found in the water can cause gastrointestinal problems, plus skin, ear, and eye infections. But the most common illness you're in contact with is diarrhea — apparently there's been an uptick of adults and kids alike swimming while suffering from it. Yes, seriously. "We have a new parasitic germ that has emerged that's immune to chlorine," Beach told Women's Health. "We've got to keep it out of the pool in the first place. We need additional barriers."
On the CDC's Healthy Water website, officials recommend you avoid urinating or defecating (obviously) in the pool. They also recommend you shower before you get in the water to stop the spread of germs, and never swallow pool water. If you have kids, make sure to take them out of the pool at least once every hour, and change diapers in a bathroom or area far away from the water.
If you're concerned about the chlorine levels in your local public pool, there are test strips available for purchase at most home-supply stores. You can also ask the pool staff about chlorine and pH levels, and about how often the facility gets cleaned and inspected.
From: Good Housekeeping US
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