What causes eye irritation?
Eye Irritation Red irritated eyes, sometimes in conjunction with dry, itchy skin, are an occasional occurrence in some swimming pools. There are a number of possible explanations for the irritation when it occurs, some of which are actual causative factors and some of which are popular misconceptions. The most popular misconception about eye irritation is that it is caused by excess chlorine. The most common actual causes of eye irritation are chloramine buildup, pH imbalance, high total dissolved solids, or a combination of those factors. Chloramine Chloramine is a chemical combination of ammonia and chlorine. Although chlorine is a desired component in pools, ammonia is unnecessary and unwanted, since by combining with the chlorine it slows down the chlorine’s activity (i.e., the length of time it takes for the chlorine to oxidize contaminants). Also, chloramine is an irritant to eyes, skin, and other parts of the body. An unsavory aspect of pool chloramine is its origin: the ammonia
