Holi 2023: 6 effective tips to protect your eyes while playing with colours - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Holi 2023: 6 effective tips to protect your eyes while playing with colours

By, New Delhi
Mar 07, 2023 04:20 PM IST

Holi colours usually have chemicals like lead, chromium, mercury and other toxic substances that can cause injury or permanent damage to your vision. Here are tips to safeguard your eyes while playing Holi.

Holi 2023: Cases of eye infections and skin allergies skyrocket around Holi time and it's imperative to take precautions ahead of playing with colours. Especially, if you wear contact lenses, you should remove them while playing Holi as the accumulation of colour in it can end up damaging your eyes. Holi colours usually have chemicals like lead, chromium, mercury and other toxic substances that can cause injury or permanent damage to your vision. To prevent your eye from colours, one must be mindful not to rub their eyes. If you have long hair, you can tie it up in a bun so that the colours do not drip into your eyes. One can wear protective glasses to prevent colour from entering the eyes. (Also read: Holi 2023: Pre and post-skincare hacks you need to follow for Rango wali Holi)

Holi 2023: 5 effective tips to protect your eyes while playing with colours(Pixabay)
Holi 2023: 5 effective tips to protect your eyes while playing with colours(Pixabay)

"Holi is just around the corner. The festival of colours brings not only enjoyment but excitement as well, with vibrant colours seen everywhere. Although everyone enjoys this festival of joy, the colours of Holi can be bad for your skin, hair, and eyes. As one of the most sensitive parts of the body, the eyes need to be protected from the dangerous synthetic colours used during the Holi festival. If not protected properly, eyes can be at risk of developing eye irritation, redness or allergies, temporary blindness, and in worst cases, irreversible loss of vision as well," says Dr Isha Chaudhari, Consultant - Cataract Cornea and Refractive Services, Dr Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

Here are important tips to protect your eyes while playing Holi:

1. Wear sunglasses

Using sunglasses or other protective eyewear is a good idea while playing Holi. By using eyeglasses, you can shield your eyes from the gulal and powder colours that can enter your eyes and cause damage.

2. Do not wear contact lenses

Contact lenses during Holi are a strict no. In case, if the colour does get into the eye, it gets deposited in the contact lenses and can cause prolonged damage, leading to more significant chemical injury. Also, any colour on the lenses can stain them forever, which means they will have to be discarded.

3. Avoid rubbing eyes

Try and avoid touching or rubbing your eyes while playing Holi. The colour on your hands may be transferred to your eyes. Any particle in the eye, when rubbed, can lead to a corneal abrasion, or a scratch on the cornea, which is a painful condition and can get infected. In case something enters the eyes, one should first wash hands thoroughly before touching the eyes, or take help from others.

4. Tie your hair

If you have long hair, simply tying your hair together and using a cap can prevent the liquid colour from dripping into the eyes.

5. Apply coconut oil

Coconut oil acts as a protective barrier that shields our eyes from harmful colors. Just apply a thick layer of coconut oil around the eyes, making sure it doesn't enter the eye, so that colour doesn't easily stick to your eyes and surrounding areas. It then becomes easy to remove colours.

6. Do not self-medicate

In case of an eye injury, it is best to seek the help of an eye care professional for taking care of eye injuries during Holi. All eye drops are not the same and sometimes using the wrong eye drops can cause more damage than good. In case of colour falling in the eye, you can safely use lubricating eye drops to wash off the colour. While using eye drops, it is critical to ensure that they are not past their expiry date, and that they have not been opened for more than a month. Always try to ask the person not to smear the colours anywhere near the eyes when you are having fun with colours.

"Remember, Holi injuries can range from a mild irritation, corneal abrasions to vision threatening chemical burns. Often, the symptoms of redness, pain and watering will not indicate the true damage to the eye, especially in case of harsh chemicals. But you must reach out to your eye doctor for help," concludes Dr Isha.

Follow more stories on Facebook & Twitter

Oscars 2024: From Nominees to Red Carpet Glam! Get Exclusive Coverage on HT. Click Here

Catch your daily dose of Fashion, Health, Festivals, Travel, Relationship, Recipe and all the other Latest Lifestyle News on Hindustan Times Website and APPs
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Friday, March 29, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On