Red eyes

[PaulE10]

Is the red eye's people get while swimming due to the ph or the alkalinity being off? Is it too high or too low? How does it effect the eyes if it is too high or too low?
It used to be said that it was chlorine that caused the red eye's but I read (maybe somewhere here) that that is not the case.

I'm sure someone here can supply me with the info on how to eliminate the red eye problem(besides Visine).

Thanks

[chem geek]

Mostly if the pH is too high or too low away from around 7.5 then this can cause eye irritation and is the most likely cause. Also, water that does not have enough salt in it can be more drying and irritating to the eyes (other threads have explained this through the process of osmosis). TA, CH and CYA are unlikely to irritate the eyes with the ranges one normally finds in pools. Very high chlorine could irritate the eyes, but this is much more likely in a pool with little or no CYA (where the disinfecting chlorine level would be higher).

If there is CC (combined chlorines), especially certain chloramines, then these can make the eyes sting.

If you have a problem with stinging eyes, check your pH and CC levels first as a pH far away from 7.5 or a CC > 0 could be the cause.

Richard

[waste]

Richard, PERFECT RESPONSE!
Paul, as Richard said, those 2 things are what causes the 'burning, red eyes', if you adjust your chems to get the water within those perameters, you shouldn't have any more eye problems. Welcome to the forum, it's a pool owners best resource (esp. with folks like Richard here) for effective and less costly advice to keep the pool properly maintained!!

[chem geek]

Richard, PERFECT RESPONSE!
Your check will be forthcoming in the mail shortly...:D

[waste]

Your check will be forthcoming in the mail shortly...:D
No go Richard, the last one bounced :p