Eye doctors: Beware of champagne-related injuries on New Year's
Hangovers aren't the only health risk that could arise from a New Years' celebration.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology is warning that champagne corks could cause major eye injuries, and blindness. The medical society of eye doctors is urging people this New Year's Eve to "uncork with care."
"We don't want anyone to end up ringing in the year on an ophthalmologist's surgery table," Dr. Monica L. Monica, an ophthalmologist and spokesperson for the academy, said in a written statement.
Champagne bottles contain more pressure than what's found in a car tire on a double decker bus, according to the academy, as high as 90 pounds per square inch. That can unleash a cork flying towards the eye at 50 miles per hour -- not enough time to get out of the way, but more than enough to cause serious damage.
Injuries include eye wall rupture, glaucoma, retinal detachment, eye bleeding, dislocation of the lens and damage to the eye's bone structure, which often require emergency surgery.
The academy says to properly open a champagne bottle, first make sure it's chilled to at least 45 degrees Fahrenheit because a warm bottle is more likely to pop unexpectedly. Never shake the bottle, and when opening it, point the bottle at a 45-degree angle away from yourself or bystanders, keeping your palm over the cork when removing the wire hood. Place a towel over the entire top of the bottle while grasping the cork, twisting until you break the seal.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology demonstrates in this video:
