New Year’s Eve is notoriously one of the worst times of the year for eye injuries. This fact is due to one tradition: The midnight champagne toast. Many people do not know how to correctly open a champagne bottle. When a bottle is opened improperly, the cork is expelled at a high velocity by the gas pressure in the bottle. A champagne cork can fly up to 50 miles per hour. This is one of the most frequent holiday related eye injuries. If the cork accidentally strikes the eye, it can lead to serious injuries including internal hemorrhage, traumatic cataract, and torn or detached retinas. To avoid turning a happy celebration into a tragedy follow some very easy rules:

• Chill your champagne! Warm champagne creates more pressure behind the cork.
• Do not shake the bottle!
• Use a towel when opening the bottle.
• Point the bottle at a 45-degree angle away from yourself and from anyone else.

Following these few steps can help ensure a safe and happy holiday with no unexpected trips to the emergency room! If you have any questions or concerns you can ask me anytime on our Facebook page. From everyone at Doctors Vision Center we wish you a Happy New Year and look forward to serving your vision care needs in 2012!

Dr. Ted Watson,
The Digital Doc