Chemical Conjunctivitis: Know Its Symptoms, Risks, Causes and Prevention Tips

Chemical conjunctivitis is an eye condition that occurs when the conjunctiva, the thin membrane covering the white part of the eye, becomes irritated due to contact with chemicals or irritants. Common triggers include cleaning products, chlorine, smoke, and fumes. The condition can cause redness, burning, watering, and temporary discomfort in the eyes.

What is Chemical conjunctivitis?

According to Dr Jay Goyal, “Chemical conjunctivitis or toxic pinkeye is inflammation of the eye's lining caused by irritants like chemicals, fumes, smoke, or chlorine. It causes redness, tearing, and stinging eyes.”

According to a comprehensive research published in NCBI, chemical conjunctivitis is primarily caused due to industrial exposure, accidental injuries, and neonatal reactions to prophylactic eye drops(used for preventing eye inflammation and infection in newborns).
The key findings in this report indicate that alkali substances are more hazardous than acids because they can penetrate deeply into tissues.

When Is It Caused?

While there are numerous causes for chemical conjunctivitis, the most common are exposure to household cleaning products, spray fumes, smoke, air pollution, and chlorine in swimming pools.

Also Read: Aggressive Eye Rubbing May Damage Your Eyes; Here’s How To Safely Remove Irritants Instead

Chemical conjunctivitis is also a water-related ocular disease. A NCBI research shows some people develop allergic conjunctivitis from swimming pool or ocean water. This triggers ocular irritation, forcing us to aggressively rub our eyes and causing secondary infection.

Can one dip in the swimming pool cause conjunctivitis?

“Yes, a single dip in a pool can result in this,” answers Dr Jay.

Chlorine and other sanitisers in the pool water can damage our eye’s protective tear film, which can trigger non-contagious inflammation of the eye. This is why chemical conjunctivitis is also called ‘swimmer’s eye’.

How To Identify Chemical Conjunctivitis?

The common signs that you may have this problem are:

• Red eyes
• Intense burning or stinging sensation
• Watering of eyes
• Light sensitivity
• Discharge from the eyes, causing stickiness upon waking up.

It is important to watch out for these symptoms and immediately report them to your doctor for prompt treatment. Delaying medical assistance may cause severe complications.

Also Read: Eye Infection Is Common in Summer: These Tips Will Keep Your Eyes Infection-Free

Who Is At Risk?

If you are any of these, the risk is higher for you:

• Personnel handling liquid chemicals, acids, or caustic liquids,
• People who are exposed to chemical gases or vapours
• Professional swimmers

Tips To Reduce Infection Risk

If you are a swimmer and love to take a dip in the pool at different locations or a person whose work exposes them to hazardous chemicals and fumes, you must ensure doing the following to protect your eyes from chemical conjunctivitis.

• Taking a shower right after swimming.
• Wearing snugly fitting goggles while swimming in the pool.
• Immediately washing eyes in case of contact with chemicals or fumes.
• Individuals at occupational risk should wear safety goggles.

Seeking immediate medical advice from your ophthalmologist in case of persistent symptoms.

Dos and Don'ts for Swimming Eye Care

Swimmer’s Eye is a common infection prevalent in people of all age groups. Here are some important instructions by Dr Goyal to keep in mind:

• Do not use unverified or poorly maintained public swimming pools.
• Protective eye goggles are a must.
• Pre and post-swimming shower is a good practice.
• Immediate flushing of the eye with clean water on contact with an irritant and seeking immediate medical attention for a thorough eye wash is essential to minimise contact of the irritant with eye tissues and preventing long term complications.

Call To Action

Our eyes are very sensitive and need utmost care. If you experience any symptom of a potential eye issue, immediately report it to your doctor. Make sure you maintain eye hygiene and get annual eye checkups done to secure eye health.