Safe Celebrations: Preventing Eye Injuries During the Holidays | Home Eye Safety & Eye Injury Prevention Month

The end of the year is a busy time for festive holidays, from Halloween through to New Year’s Eve. Whether you’re dressing up for All Hallows Eve or ringing in the New Year with friends and family, celebrating and having a good time are probably the first things on your mind. Eye safety is most likely not. Unfortunately, celebrations come with risk, and nothing ruins a good party faster than an injury.
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We encourage and invite you to celebrate fully and safely, so you can make the most of the festivities! Here are some holiday specific tips to protect your eyes and vision during holiday celebrations.

Costume Hazards

Halloween is the day of the year that young and old alike can become anything they want. Whether you’re dressing as a zombie, a scary clown, or your favorite superhero, you might go all out to achieve your perfect costume.
 
Adults and parents should keep safety in mind for them and their children. Regardless of the temptation, avoid costume contact lenses to enhance your look. Costume contact lenses are not safe for your eyes, and according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), costume contact lenses can lead to eye problems, such as eye scratches, sores, and serious (even vision-threatening) infections. A contact lens is considered a medical device and requires a prescription. You may still find costume lenses on the shelves in Halloween specialty stores, but in the U.S., it’s illegal to sell non-prescription costume contact lenses. Always go without.
 
Also, if you’re using Halloween makeup for you or your child, only use hypoallergic products. Theater makeup may be more expensive, but it also is often better quality than cheaper Halloween makeup. For those using face paint, make sure color additives are approved by the FDA. When you apply Halloween makeup, leave a margin around your eyes to prevent irritation. After your Halloween party or trick or treating, be sure to remove eye makeup promptly, so it does not work its way into your eyes.  
 
Finally, from pirates to ninjas, Halloween props can add to a costume. Be careful with or avoid carrying sharp or pointy objects that can lead to an eye injury if you trip or hit someone else accidentally.
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Safe Holiday Cooking

We all love to eat delicious food for the holidays. There are plenty of dangers lurking in the kitchen though. Be aware of and avoid to the following risks to prevent ruining a great holiday feast:

• Knives: Knives can present eye dangers if they’re not handled properly. Be sure to keep knives away from the edge of the counter, where little hands can grab them or pets or someone walking by can knock them off. Securing knives properly when not in use and moving around the kitchen and dining room carefully, particularly when crowded, can prevent knife injuries.
• Slippery floors: It’s easy for things to spill in the kitchen and dining room. A slippery floor can lead to a fall, which can lead to a hit on a counter or piece of furniture, a spill, or a cut, all of which can cause injuries, including eye injuries. Make sure to clean up any spills right away to avoid going down.   

• Splashes from hot liquids and grease: Hot liquids and grease can splash and cause burns to eyes and skin – yours and others. Handle hot liquids and grease with caution, wear glasses to protect your eyes from splashes, and make sure to communicate with others in your area when you’re moving anything hot around.
  
• Fires: Fires are a real danger in the kitchen. Grease fires are not uncommon and can lead to serious injury, including eye injuries. Be sure to minimize your fire danger and know how to handle different types of fires, such as grease fires.

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Safe Holiday Decorating

The holiday season can be filled with family get-togethers, holiday shopping, and decorating. Some of those festive decorations can pose a hazard to your eyes though.
 
If you’re cutting down a Christmas tree, be sure to wear proper protective eyewear, such as safety glasses or goggles, to avoid an injury from saw dust or flying debris. Be sure to keep everyone, including your helpful children, at a safe distance away to protect the as well.  
 
Also, keep in mind that tree branches can be pokey and cause an injury if they come into contact with your eyes. You don’t need to wear goggles every time you’re near your tree, but use caution and be aware of how close you are to the branches when you’re adding water to the base of the tree or adjusting an ornament. Your kids may be especially vulnerable to injuries from low-hanging branches at eye level. Little ones may grab ornaments within reach. Many ornaments are fragile, and small shards of glass can lead to eye scratches if ornaments break. Consider hanging fragile, pokey, and glass ornaments up higher, out of reach of little hands. 
 
Snow and frost spray can make your home look like a winter wonderland, but both can be harmful to the eyes. Wear safety eyewear when decorating with snow spray. Also, do not let children use without protective eyewear and adult supervision.
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Champagne Cork Injuries

If you enjoy a champagne toast on New Year’s Eve, be careful when opening the bubbly. A champagne mishap can turn a toast into a trip to the emergency room quickly.
 
According to the AAO, a champagne cork can travel at a speed of 50 miles an hour. There’s no wonder it can injure your eye if you’re hit. Eye injuries from a champagne cork can be serious and include damage to the eye’s bone structure, dislocation of the lens, and retinal detachment. You don’t have to skip the bubbly, but you should take a few precautions when opening the bottle, including:

• Always chilling your champagne ahead of time. Bubbles expand, and pressure builds as the temperature increases. The colder the champagne is, the less pressure it will have. 
• Never shaking a bottle of champagne.
• Never pointing a bottle of champagne at someone.
• Always holding the cork down when you’re removing both the foil and the wire hood.

• Always placing a towel over the cork and pointing the bottle away from you and others at a 45-degree angle.

​Always holding the cork while twisting the bottle at its base and, as the cork breaks free, applying slight downward pressure.
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Fireworks Safety

Fireworks certainly add sparkle and awe to any celebration, particularly on New Year’s Eve. Unfortunately, fireworks are also responsible for thousands of injuries each year.
 
According to a report by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, fireworks caused injuries to more than 11,000 people in 2016. Eye injuries from fireworks can include burns, corneal abrasions, and rupture of the globe of the eye and lead to permanent blindness.
 
When it comes to fireworks, although you may be tempted to pick up a few for your celebration, leave it to the professionals who are licensed operators. Although some types of fireworks are legal in certain states, attending a professional firework show is always safer than buying fireworks for use at home. Even a sparkler should be used with caution, since it can reach over 500 degrees Fahrenheit and lead to burns. If an eye injury from fireworks does occur, seek medical treatment immediately.
 
From all of us at Kadrmas Eye Care New England, we hope your holiday celebrations are filled with family, friends, and fun. Celebrate well, but don’t allow an eye injury to end your festivities! By taking a few precautions, you can protect your vision during the holidays. If you have any questions about safe celebrations or you would like to schedule an appointment with one of our ophthalmologists, please call our office at 508-746-8600.
 
Please check back with us soon for our last post for Home Eye Safety Month / Eye Injury Prevention Month, as we cover “Children’s Eye Safety in the Home”.