Swimming is known to be a therapeutic form of sports to treat asthma, as well as a great way to improve endurance, cardiovascular fitness, flexibility, and muscle strength. It is also a recreational form of water play. Unfortunately, the chlorinated pool water can become a problem to the eyes if they are not protected. Here are some things you should know about swimming in swimming pools, and ways to protect your eyes while swimming.
Facts about chlorinated pool water
- The germ-killing power of a swimming pool is influenced by the amount of chlorine in the water, as well as the pH levels.
- The higher the pH, the poorer chlorine water kills germs.
- pH levels that are too low will cause the pipes to corrode.
- Pool water that is not kept between pH levels 7.2 and 7.8 can cause irritation to a swimmer’s eyes and skin.
- Keeping the pool’s pH level between 7.2 and 7.8 allows the germ-killing power of chlorine to balance out.
- It is difficult to control the precise pH levels in large pools.
Swimming without goggles
Problem: When you swim underwater without swimming goggles, the first thing you will experience is poor vision. Underwater, light does not reach your eyes as well, making it difficult to focus. The poor vision can persist after the swim due to the chemicals and pH levels in the water, which also causes redness, irritation, and dryness.
Alternative: With goggles on when you swim, you will be able to open your eyes properly to receive as much light as you can underwater, and at the same time, protect the eyes from the water.
Contact lenses and swimming
Problem: While wearing contact lenses makes game play for a variety of sports convenient, swimming with contact lenses can only make matters worse. When people swim without eye protection in pool water, the chlorine can become an irritant to the eye. With contact lenses on, the chlorine can get trapped easily underneath the lens, prolonging discomfort and redness. Chlorine can also damage the contact lenses and shorten their lifespan. Furthermore, the brushing of water against the lenses while swimming can cause them to loosen from the eye and slip into the water. Looking for it will be difficult because they transparent and shiny, sharing similar properties with water.
Alternative: Do note that while it is possible to wear contacts while wearing goggles, it is also possible for the goggles to slip, letting the water in. Thus, using swimming goggles that is fixed with corrective lenses would be ideal so you can enjoy a 20/20 vision while swimming.
Choosing the right type of swimming goggles
Using the right type of goggles ensures that you a worry-free swim. When choosing the suitable type of swimming goggles for yourself, you will need to identify the type of swimming you will be using it for as there are different types of goggles for different needs:
- Competition swimming goggles: Has a sleek, hydrodynamic design that is close to the eye sockets, enabling swimmers to swim faster. The silicone padding around the lenses creates a vacuum so there will be less resistance in the water. Can be uncomfortable for everyday use.
- Practice swimming goggles: Have a rounder shape and is equipped with a gasket around the lenses, reducing pressure on your eye sockets yet maintaining a good seal. Can be worn for longer periods than with competition swimming goggles.
- Recreational swimming goggles: Designed for pool or beach use, they have larger lenses that put less pressure on your eye sockets. Is more comfortable than competition and practice goggles, but they tend to break easily, its anti-fog film wears off faster, and they do not hold well for distance or competition swimming.
- Prescription swimming goggles: Designed as an optical correction for those who wear prescription glasses or contact lenses. Need to obtain prescription from an eye doctor to buy this type of swimming goggles. Is costlier than other types of goggles.
Different tints also serve different purposes:
- Rose or yellow tint: For swimming indoors, making objects appear lighter.
- Green, blue, or grey tint: For swimming outdoors, keeping harmful sun rays out of your eyes.
- Mirrored or metallic tint: For swimming outdoors, especially for backstroke swimmers or those who prefer swimming during noon.
Wearing your swimming goggles properly
- Place the goggles on the top of your head with the elastic strap pulled to the crown of your head. Then, position the goggles loosely against your eyes.
- Readjust the strap by sliding your fingers between the strap and your head, so it holds on to your head snugly without causing too much tension to your head. The side of the strap should rest just above ears, and the back of the strap against the widest part of your head. You may need to adjust the strap using the buckle if it is too loose or too tight.
- Remove the goggles and try wearing it again. Adjust the lenses of the goggles over your eye sockets until you feel like its suction before submerging your head into the water.
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Published in eye glamour (vol.19) under the Eye Care section on May 2011.
