Help Children Avoid Swimming Conjunctivitis

Dr. Errol Douglas directs Gold Pediatrics in Rockville, MD, and sees many children during the summer with conjunctivitis from swimming. Our doctor is board-certified in pediatrics and has a highly skilled staff of professionals working with him daily to ensure the children of Rockville and surrounding areas receive the highest quality of health.

Our doctor has some tips for helping you protect your children's eyes when swimming this summer and throughout the year.

What is Conjunctivitis?

Gold Pediatrics in Rockville, MD, explains that conjunctivitis is an eye infection. This infection occurs for several reasons, including swimming. An eye injury can occur whether your child swims in the lake, in the ocean, in a pool at home, or in a hotel pool.

Symptoms of Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis is a pesky and sometimes painful infection that needs immediate treatment. When your child develops conjunctivitis, it may have the following symptoms.

• Eye redness
• Pain
• Tearing
• Sensitivity to light
• Blurry Vision
• Gritty feeling in the eyes
• Itching, burning, stinging
• Eye swelling
• Drainage from eyes

Pool water is tough on the eyes due to the chlorine and chemicals added to pool water to keep the water safe. While chemicals like chlorine keep your water safe, they tend to remove the tear film that naturally covers the eyes. The eyes begin to feel uncomfortable and become reddened.

When your child frequents the pool, their eyes become dry. This occurs when the eyes do not produce enough tears and vision becomes blurry. While chlorine destroys many forms of bacteria, some bacteria survive the chlorine and cause eye infections or conjunctivitis.

Prevention is the Best Cure for Eye Infections while Swimming

Wearing a good set of swimming goggles is the first line of defense towards avoiding eye infections. After swimming, it is wise to splash cool water over your closed eyes. This helps to remove excess chlorine from the eyelids and lashes.

Purchase excellent over-the-counter eye drops or gel tears and instill drops before and after swimming to help keep the tear film intact. These lubricating eye drops keep the eyes comfortable. Drinking lots of water throughout the day helps to keep eyes moist and lubricated.

If your child wears contact lenses, remove them before swimming as they increase the risk for a corneal infection leading to bacteria, fungi, parasites, and loss of vision. Practice caution and remove contact lenses before swimming.

Call Us Immediately for Symptoms of Eye Infections

If your child shows symptoms of an eye infection, call Dr. Douglas at Gold Pediatrics in Rockville, MD today at 301-517-9710 to schedule your child's appointment. Never take the chance that an eye infection goes away without treatment. You risk permanent eye injury.