https://www.croctears.

com/dry-eyes-in-the-water/

This condition is very similar to Pink Eye. It is caused by changes in the tear film, made up principally of
water, which protects the eye. When its water content evaporates too fast, it creates an excess of salt.
The result is discomfort and blurry vision. If it happens too often, the effects can become chronic.

What causes the over-evaporation is contact with chlorine in pools, the salt in the ocean and UV rays
from the sun. The three main ways to prevent the problem are:

 drink 8 to 10 glasses of water on days you swim or surf

 use eye protection both in and out of the water

 make sure your tear film is well hydrated before and after a dip in the water

https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/what-does-chlorine-do-to-our-eyes/

Chlorine gas reacts with the water on your eye to form hydrochloric acid, which can cause blindness.
The chlorine in pools is a safer combination of hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite ions. But this can
react with urine, sweat and by-products in the water to form chloramines that cause irritation. Irritation
can also occur when water washes away the protective film on your eyes, which then allows infections
from lingering bacteria.

https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/swimming-contacts-your-eyes

A thin layer of tears called the tear film coats the surface of our eyes. This tear film keeps our eyes
moist, smooth and clear. Chlorine and other chemicals used to keep pool water clean can wash away
the moist layer of tear film, leaving eyes uncomfortable and red.

People who swim frequently may develop dry eye, where they don’t produce enough tears or the right
quality of tears. It can feel like they have grit in their eyes, or their vision becomes blurry.

Without the protection of a fully functioning tear film, eyes are exposed to harmful pool chemicals and
lingering bacteria. Chlorine itself can cause a reaction, leaving the surface and edges of your eyes red,
itchy, watery and uncomfortable. And bacteria that survive the chlorine can lead to an eye infection,
such as pink eye (conjunctivitis).
https://www.webmd.com/eye-health/when-dry-eyes-not-medical-problem#3

Swimming in a pool puts your peepers in contact with chlorine and compounds formed when it mixes
with things like sweat, dirt, and personal care products. This can leave your eyes red and irritated. If
you're going to spend a lot of time in the water, wear swim goggles to protect them.

https://www.usms.org/fitness-and-training/articles-and-videos/articles/swimming-and-eye-health

by Shlomit Schaal, MD, PhD, with Yam Schaal and Shivani Reddy, MD

Pool Chemicals and Your Eyes

The external surface of the eye is coated with a chemically complex thin tear film. This tear film is
composed of multiple layers (water, protein, and lipid) that perfectly interact with each other not only
to keep your eye lubricated, but also to keep your tear film from evaporating too quickly. Chemicals in
pools, such as chlorine and saline, are used as disinfecting measures and can wreak havoc on the tear
film, causing water from the film to evaporate, leaving the surface of your eye unlubricated and exposed
to other chemicals and bacteria in the pool. Also, chlorine by itself can be a major irritant to the eye,
resulting in a condition known as chemical conjunctivitis, an inflammatory condition that causes
redness, irritation, itching, and tearing in the eye.

The best way to protect your eyes from harmful pool chemicals is to minimize exposure to them.
Wearing goggles can offer good protection. Rinsing your eyes with fresh water while showering after a
swim is a good way to get rid of chlorine deposited around the lids and lashes. For sensitive eyes, over-
the-counter lubricating eye drops may restore the composition of a healthy tear film and provide
immediate symptom relief.

Swimming and Dry Eye

Dry eye syndrome is one of the most common eye disorders observed in the adult population in the U.S.
In this condition, either the baseline tear production is too low, or the tear film is chemically unstable
and evaporates too easily. Factors such as exposure to cold air or dry heat, contact lens wear, and
extended use of computer screens can exacerbate this condition. People who have dry eye syndrome
experience redness, irritation, a gritty sensation in the eye, and blurry vision. Swimmers frequently
complain of new onset or worsening of dry eye syndrome symptoms.

As described above, pool chemicals can interfere with the normal stability of the tear film, causing faster
evaporation of tears from the eye and loss of the aqueous, or watery, layer of the tear film, causing the
remaining tears to be thicker and poor lubrication for the eye.

Goggles can help minimize exposure to these chemicals and improve tear film stability. Patients
suffering from dry eye syndrome can use artificial teardrops prior to putting on their goggles as a
prophylactic measure, giving their eyes an extra layer of protection. Staying well hydrated prior to a
swim is also essential, as this helps maintain the aqueous layer of the tear film. Swimmers with severe
dry eye syndrome should see an ophthalmologist as prescription drops are also available to alleviate
symptoms.

http://www.sharonkleynehour.com/Press/Swimmers_Surfers_Dry_Eye.php

Swimmer's dry eye and surfer's dry eye, according to Mrs. Kleyhne, are caused by changes in the
microscopically thin tear film that covers and protects the exposed portions of the eye. The tear film is
99% water, Mrs. Kleyne explains. Dry eye symptoms can occur when environmental conditions increase
the evaporation rate of the tear film's water content. Diminished tear film water creates an over-
concentration of salt resulting in temporary physical discomfort and blurred vision. Frequent tear film
water loss can lead to a self-perpetuating syndrome of chronic severe dry eye (Mathers, WD, MD, Tear
Film and Treatment of Dry Eye Disease, RxSchool, 2005). .

Sharon Kleyne has discovered that the chlorine and saline used to treat pool water, and the salt in ocean
water, are environmental factors that can affect tear film water content in the eyes of swimmers. In
addition, says Mrs. Kleyne, ultra-violet (UV) radiation from the sun can not only dehydrates the tear film
and cause dry eye symptoms, it can lead to a condition called "surfer' s eye" or "pterygium", in which an
unsightly membrane forms over the eyes' exposed surface. Snow skiers are also susceptible to
pterygium but are usually more conscientious about eye protection (Kleyne, SF, "Let's Wipe Our Surfer's
Eye," Bio-Logic Aqua Research, 2008).

According to Mrs. Kleyne, the most sensible ways to protect against dry eye caused by swimming and
surfing are to, (a) wear eye and sun protection, (b) drink 8 to 10 glasses of water a day and more on days
that you swim, and (c) make sure your tear film is healthy and hydrated immediately before going into
the sun or entering the water, and immediately after leaving the water.

Researchers have long known that the simplest and most natural way to soothe dry eyes and restore
lost tear film water is to add two-to-five millionths of a liter (micro-liters) of water to the tear film's
aqueous layer (Mathers, 2005). A commercially viable method of administering water to the tear film in
such minute quantities was discovered in 1999. That's the year that Sharon Kleyne's Bio-Logic Aqua
Research Center developed Nature's Tears® EyeMist®, a personal, hand-held eye hydration device that
supplements tear film moisture with a soothing, all-natural, all-water, pH balanced (6.49) mist (Mathers,
2005).

https://www.milpitasoptometric.com/2013/09/24/does-chlorine-hurt-your-eyes/

Swimming pool water is chlorinated to keep it sanitized. The chlorine helps reduce water-borne bacteria
and viruses to prevent pathogens and disease from spreading. While chlorine is a successful water
sanitizer, its efficacy depends on a number of factors including how recently it was added to the water,
the concentration of the chemical and how much the pool is used.
When your eyes are submerged in chlorinated pool water, the tear film that usually acts as a defensive
shield for your cornea is washed away. This means that your eyes are no longer protected from dirt or
bacteria that are not entirely eliminated by the treated pool water. So, swimmers can be prone to eye
infections. One of the most common eye infections from swimming is conjunctivitis or pink eye, which
can either be viral or bacterial.

Another eye issue that often develops from contact with chlorinated water is red, irritated eyes. When
your cornea dehydrates as a result of exposure to chlorine, the irritation is often accompanied by
blurriness, which can result in distorted vision temporarily. Although these symptoms usually disappear
within a few minutes, the recovery time tends to increase with age. Using lubricating eye drops can help
alleviate symptoms by restoring the hydrating, protective tear shield in your eye.

http://morelandeyecare.com/is-chlorine-bad-for-eyes/

https://www.swimspray.com/blogs/chlorine-hair-and-skin?page=5

CHLORINE’S AFFECT ON EYES AND VISION

Although the article really doesn’t have anything to do with how chlorine effects a swimmer’s eyes, the
topic is worth discussing. Here are a few points from the article that might serve as starting points for
conversation:

“Chlorinated water typically causes swelling in the eye’s cornea.”

“The tear film “is our natural-defense mechanism….Tear proteins help reduce infection rates from bugs
still floating in the water, and when that is gone, the cornea is vulnerable to anything.”
“…because when the cornea is submerged in water, its protective tear film is washed away.”

THE EYE’S “TEAR FILM” IS MADE OF PROTEINS

The “tear film” appears to include “tear proteins,” which serve as a barrier layer over the eye. According
to wikipedia, “the tear film coating the eye, known as the precorneal film, has three distinct layers, from
the most outer surface. These three layers are (1) the lipid layer, (2) the aqueous layer, and (3) the
mucous layer.

The lipid layer is made of oils. The aqueous layer includes water and proteins. The mucous layer also
consists of proteins. From a chemical perspective, the eye is coated in water, lipids, and proteins.

CHLORINE SHOULD REACT WITH THE EYE’S TEAR FILM

We know that protein molecules react with pool chlorine. Accordingly, we should expect pool chlorine
to react with a swimmer’s “tear film” by chlorinating it. This effect is akin to chlorine reacting with the
proteins making up a swimmer’s hair and skin. In my mind this leaves two outstanding questions: (1)
Does chlorinating your eyeballs lead to any long-term damage? (2) Can we come up with a way to treat
chlorine-irritated eyes.

DOES CHLORINATING EYES PRESENT A LONG-TERM RISK?

I am not an eye doctor. But, I would suspect that pool chlorine’s effect on eyeballs is short lived. It would
stand to reason that a swimmer’s chlorinated tear film gets replaced naturally (over time) with a new
tear film. This would explain why a swimmer’s red eyes go away with time. It would be interesting to
understand whether continuously chlorinating the tear film creates any long-term damage. As pointed
out above, there is no evidence suggesting long-term harm. (At the same time the WSJ just ran and
article about chlorine’s effects on vision without answering the questions about chlorine). It would also
seem worthwhile to devise a simple solution to chlorine-red eyes. Currently, the most popular solution
for “getting the red out” is a vasoconstrictor, like Visine. But, these drug products treat the symptoms
rather than addressing the underlying cause (chlorine in the eyes). Potentially, there could be some
value getting the chlorine out of swimmers’ eyes rather than just getting the red out.

CAN WE CREATE A SOLUTION FOR CHLORINATED EYES?

Based on chemical reasoning, chlorinated eye proteins should behave similarly to chlorinated hair and
skin. In this case, treating the chlorinated eyes with an antioxidant solution would neutralize the
lingering chlorine, thereby reducing the irritation. Here, I would probably start with an antioxidant
solution designed to be gentle on the eyes. Most saline rinses are 0.9% salt water solutions. Potentially,
one could swap an antioxidant salt (e.g., sodium ascorbate) for the sodium chloride, buffering the
solution to physiological pH.

GOOD ADVICE: PROTECT EYES WITH GOGGLES

Despite failing to discuss chlorine’s reaction with eyes, the article concludes that swimmers should wear
googles to protect their eyes from pool water. This seems like great advice because goggles would
prevent exposing the eyes to the pool water. By preventing exposure to chlorine, that chlorine cannot
react with the eyes. This is similar to wearing a swim cap to protect hair—by preventing chlorine
exposure, a swimmer can prevent chlorinating the proteins making up biological fibers.

For more information on Chlorine, please visit Swimspray.com.

https://nitamustika16.wordpress.com/2014/12/29/toksisitas-klorin-dan-cara-penanganannya/

Efek toksik klorin yang terutama adalah sifat korosifnya. Kemampuan oksidasi klorin sangat kuat, dimana
didalam air klorin akan melepaskan oksigen dan hydrogen klorida yang menyebabkan kerusakan
jaringan. Sebagai alteratif, klorin diubah menjadi asam hipoklorit yang dapat menembus sel dan bereaksi
dengan protein sitoplasmik yang dapat merusak struktur sel (U.S Department Of health And Human
Services, 2007).
Adapun bentuk aktivitas klorin dalam tubuh adalah sebagai beikut (ruthana,2008)

1. Mengganggu sintesa protein

2. Oksidasi dekarboksilat dari asam amino menjadi nitrit dan aldehid

3. Bereaksi dengan asam nukleat, purin dan pirimidin

4. Induksi asam deoksirilbonukleat (DNA) dengan diiringi kehilangan kemampuan DNA-transforving

5. Timbulnya penyimpangan kromosom

https://spidolkarya.blogspot.com/2017/08/cara-khlorine-membunuh.html

Kaporit ketika dilarutkan dalam air akan berubah menjadi asam hipoklorit (HOCl) dan ion hipoklorit (OCl-
) yang memiliki sifat desinfektan. HOCl dan ion OCl- bersifat sangat reaktif terhadap berbagai komponen
sel bakteri.Selanjutnya HOCl dan ion OCl- disebut sebagai klor aktif. Klor mampu melakukan reaksi
hidrolisis dan deaminasi dengan berbagai komponen kimia bakteri seperti peptidoglikan, lipid, dan
protein yang dapat menimbulkan kerusakan fisiologis dan mempengaruhi mekanisme seluler (Berg,
1986 dalam Rosyidi 2010). Klor aktif juga bereaksi kuat dengan lipid dan peptidogikan pada membran
sel. Hal ini dapat mempengaruhi perbedaan konsentrasi yang sangat tinggi antara lingkungan ekstrasel
dan lingkungan intrasel, yang berpotensi mengganggu tekanan osmotik di dalam sel dan dapat
mengancam terjadinya lisis/kehancuran sel. Baker (1926) dalam penelitiannya menjelaskan bahwa klor
membunuh bakteri dengan mengikat protein untuk membentuk senyawa N-chloro (EPAa,1999).