3 Ways Chlorine Can Damage Your Child’s Vision

Taking care of your kid’s vision this summer, whether it’s through healthy eating habits or regularly scheduled children’s eye exams, is important for protecting the long-term clarity of their vision. 

Given that the vision of young patients is at greater risk of damage from harmful UV rays, it’s crucial to schedule a children’s eye exam before summer starts and talk to your eye doctor about how you can protect your little one’s vision this warm season.

Some of the things you may want to consider doing include:

• buying children’s sunglasses that block out 100% of UVA and UVB rays
• ensuring your child never looks directly at the sun
• minimizing outdoor activity from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm as this is when the sun’s rays are strongest
• making sure your child wears a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses every time he/she is outside
• setting a good example for your little one by wearing sunglasses yourself

Protect Your Child's Eyes

Will Chlorine Hurt or Damage My Child’s Eyes?

Even though swimming in the pool is a fun and relaxing way to cool off or exercise during the summer, the chlorine levels can pose a danger to your children’s eye safety.

While chlorine is a necessary sanitizing agent in pools to prevent diseases from spreading and reduce the amount of water-borne bacteria, it’s still a chemical that can pose a threat to your vision. It can strip away the tear film that protects your cornea, resulting in these 3 common eye issues:

1. Pink eye or conjunctivitis - This is one of the most common eye infections in children who spend a lot of time in the pool. It can either be viral or bacterial and spread easily through the water.

2. Red and irritated eyes - This is the result of your eyes becoming dehydrated due to the chlorine in the pool and the removal of your tear film. While blurriness or distorted vision can also occur, this is usually only temporary.

3. Acanthamoeba Keratitis - This is a severe eye infection that is caused by amoeba becoming trapped between the cornea and a contact lens. It can begin to live there, which can result in ulcers on your cornea and cause permanent vision damage.

How to Protect Your Child’s Vision This Summer

With all these risks chlorine poses to your child’s eyes, swimming may seem a little scarier than before, but there’s no need to fear! By taking the following safety precautions, you can protect your little one’s eyes so they can enjoy their time at the poolside.

• Use lubricating eye drops to restore the cornea’s protective tear film. This will give your child some relief from irritation and dryness.
• If your child wears contact lenses, ALWAYS remove them before they get into the pool.
• If they do, by chance, enter the pool with their contact lenses, remove them immediately afterward and sanitize them with contact lens solution. If possible, the safest move would be to throw them away and replace them with a fresh pair.
• Invest in a pair of airtight swimming goggles with a strong seal for your child and make sure they wear these whenever they go swimming.

Call Today

At Market Mall Optometry, we understand how vulnerable and sensitive kids’ eyes can be. That’s why we offer comprehensive services such as children’s eye exams and eye emergency care to ensure their vision stays safe and healthy all summer long.

Book A Children's Eye Exam

To find out more about our comprehensive children’s eye exams, and how our qualified optometrists can help keep yours and your child’s vision safe and protected, contact our Calgary eye clinic at 403-286-4884 or book an eye exam today.