Swimming and Dry Eye

Ask an Eye M.D. Answer Archive

Question:
Does swimming in a pool have any long term effects on dry eye syndrome?

Answer:
Not directly but maybe. The harsh chemicals in a swimming pool can cause some people to have irritation in the eyes. The symptoms are redness and foreign body sensation and if there is blurring it would be minimal. These symptoms are very similar to the symptoms of dry eye syndrome. So a swimming pool may aggravate the symptoms of dry eye without actually making the dry eye worse but it should have no long term effects.

Answered by: Gary Hirshfield, MD

Categories: Eye Conditions; Eye Diseases; General Eye Health

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