Tips to protect your eyes this Holi Holi, the festival of colours, is enjoyed by one and all. But apart from the fun you have with bright colours, pichkaris and bhang, you should also pay attention to potential problems that you could be facing. Other than your skin and hair which are bound to come in contact with colours, your eyes are the most vulnerable part that can be damaged. Particles of dry colours can directly enter your eyes due to incessant splashing. Wet coloured water sprayed using pichkaris and water balloons can also hit your eyes and can cause an emergency situation. Here are 5 common eye problems that people suffer from after playing Holi and 5 tips to keep your eyes safe. 1. Eye allergies: Synthetic or artificial colours contain a lot of toxic chemicals like mercury sulphite, lead oxide and copper sulphate. These can enter your eyes and trigger an allergic reaction. Allergic reaction can cause reddening, swelling and watery eyes. 2. Conjunctivitis: Conjunctivitis (pink eye) is the inflammation of the conjunctiva, a thin layer of tissue lining the inner surface of your eyelid. This transparent layer also covers the white part of your eyes and becomes inflamed due to chemical irritants in Holi colours. 3. Temporary blindness: Colours can enter the eyes and blur your for a while. A grey patch may appear on your retina that may cause blocked sight. The problem is worse for people who are fond of water balloons. If accidentally they hit your eyes, you could suffer from permanent blindness due to serious corneal tear. 4. Scratched cornea: Cornea is the thin, clear layer that covers and protects the iris (coloured part of the eye that encircles the black pupil in the centre of the eye). Any particle that enters the eye gets trapped under the eyelid. Imagine the amount of toxic chemicals that can get trapped when you’re playing with colours. These particles constantly irritate the corneal surface and cause abrasion. 5. Uveitis (inflammation of the iris): If the chemicals come in contact with the iris, it can cause serious inflammation. Particularly, in people who wear lenses, the effect is doubled because the chemicals can smear the lens and can get trapped between the lens and the eye surface. Here are some tips that can help you to protect your eyes: 1. Remove you lenses before stepping out to play Holi 2. Cover your eyes tightly when colour is being splashed around you or on you 3. In case colour enters your eyes, wash them immediately with plain water 4. Avoid touching your eyes or rubbing them 5. Be extra careful when someone’s throwing a water balloon at you. Best way is to turn your back to the person. If you experience any sort of irritation and notice any undesirable signs like persistent redness, sweeling, pain in your eyes, visit a doctor immediately. The safest way to play Holi is to use eco-friendly or natural colours instead of artificial ones. So be safe and wish you a very colourful Holi.
Posted on: Sun, 16 Mar 2014 04:14:32 +0000