The effect of saline on the eye irritation caused by swimming-pool water.

In laboratory experiments the acute eye irritation produced by exposure to tap water was not significantly increased when chlorine compounds were added to the water at concentrations of 1 mg./l. The greatest irritation was produced by 2 mg. Cl(2)/l. as NH(2)Cl. The addition of NaCl at concentrations above about 0.5% abolished the irritant effect of tap water, and prevented irritation even when 1 mg. Cl(2)/l. was present.In a field experiment involving two swimming baths, one with fresh and the other with saline water (0.5% NaCl), eye irritation in the saline bath was significantly lower than in the freshwater bath only when the swimming time did not exceed 30 min.