2023-12-10 17:21:01
The Fernández-Vega Ophthalmological Institute (IOFV) warned of the risks of suffering eye trauma during Christmas, since visits to ophthalmological emergencies are more frequent at this time due to exposure to fireworks, corks and Christmas decorations.
According to the IOFV, although eye trauma, such as blows, cuts, burns or contact with chemical agents, occurs at any time of the year, Christmas entails a series of additional risks that make visits to ophthalmological emergencies more frequent.
In fact, the ophthalmologist specializing in retina and vitreous at the IOFV, Dr. Álvaro Fernández-Vega González, explained that “eye trauma can have different severity, from small erosions on the surface of the eye to retinal detachments, corneal opacity or glaucomas due to trauma”.
For this reason, he indicated, “prevention is the best way to take care of our vision while we enjoy Christmas.” In fact, fireworks, bottle corks and some decorative elements are the most common causes of eye trauma during the Christmas period.
In the case of firecrackers, ophthalmologists recommended wearing safety glasses and not rubbing your eyes if a fragment of the device enters them. Regarding fireworks, we must maintain a distance of at least 150 meters from the place where they are being launched and avoid handling them if we are not professionals.
Corks and decoration
The impact of a cork when opening a bottle of champagne or wine is another of the most frequent causes of eye damage at Christmas. To prevent accidents during uncorking, experts advise avoiding shaking the bottle and trying to point it in a direction where no one is there. Likewise, it is important to cool the bottle so that the cork is ejected with less force.
On the other hand, some decorative objects such as Christmas tree thorns (especially those made of plastic), glitter, artificial snow or small fragments of broken Christmas balls can enter the eye, causing scratches.
In the event that any of these elements are accidentally introduced into the eye, you should avoid rubbing and applying pressure, since this will prevent scratching the cornea or causing an infection. The best thing to do is to blink to try to let the tears escape naturally. If this does not happen, you can try to wash the eye with water or saline.
In case of suffering an accident and detecting signs of ocular trauma (such as tearing, pain, redness, decreased vision or presence of blood, among others), the Fernández-Vega Ophthalmological Institute recommended going to a specialist to assess the severity of the problem. and prescribe, if necessary, appropriate treatment.
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