There’s nothing more inviting during the summer and fall seasons than kicking back and relaxing by the pool. Whether it’s your home pool or a public one, taking those refreshing dips can also leave your eyes with a red, burning sensation afterwards. And with all of those chemicals, sunscreen, and sunshine combined, it can place quite a bit of pressure on your eyes. So to help give your eyes some much-needed reprieve from the pool this October, follow these tips for protecting your eyes when swimming.

 

Always Wear Goggles When Submerging Your Face

Ever notice how itchy, dry, or fuzzy your eyes can feel after a swim? You can thank the chlorine for that. All of the chemicals that are used in swimming pools end up affecting the tear film in our eyes that help keep them moist and clear. So when you dive into the water with your eyes exposed to those chemicals, it washes that tear film away, leaving them irritated and sore. Wearing goggles is a simple way to prevent those chemicals from drying out your eyes.

 

Rinse Out Your Eyes

Just like after swimming when you head to the showers to rinse off the chlorine, you should always include your eyes as well. Whether it’s in the shower or at a fountain, close your eyes and splash them with fresh water to rinse away any lingering chemicals from your eyebrows, lashes and eyelids.

 

Apply Eye Drops

Another helpful tip to help protect your eyes when swimming is to bring some eye drops along with you to the pool. These can be used after swimming to add some lubrication back into the eyes to combat that dryness and give your tear film a boost.

 

Drink Plenty Of Water

Staying sufficiently hydrated is always important to remember to take good care of our body. And this can also help keep your eyes naturally lubricated. So keep drinking plenty of water and always plan to bring extra when you’re heading out for a day hanging by the pool.

Taking care of your eyes is important, but it’s something that can be forgotten when it’s time to head to the pool for a swim. Take the time to follow these simple steps to protect your eyes when swimming so you can avoid those itchy, burning sensations afterwards, and instead, keep them happy and healthy.