OdishaLIVE Bureau
Eyes are regarded as the best gifts of God to us. We must take utmost care of them especially celebrating festivals like Holi. OdishaLIVE did an exclusive interview with Dr. Sushma, MBBS, MS and Fellow at LV Prasad Eye Institute, Phaco and Refractive Surgeon at Maxvision Super Speciality Eye Hospital, Hyderabad, on how to take care of eyes while playing Holi. Here are the excerpts from the interview.
Interviewer: How crucial are our eyes? How are they affected during Holi?
Dr. Sushma: Eyes are really very precious and we should take care of it. During holi we use the colors which contain toxic chemicals. If that falls in the eyes chemical reaction takes place which causes allergy, infections, sometimes it may lead to blindness also so it is very important to take care of our eyes when we are playing holi.
Interviewer: Post-holi celebrations, what types of cases come to you related to eyes?
Dr. Sushma: Generally people come with complains of colors falling into the eyes, eye redness, itching and allergy after playing with colors. The black part of the eye gets damaged and it is called Epithelial Defect. Some people don’t consult with the doctor rather self-medicate them by going to some medicine stores. That is very dangerous for eyes and improper treatment may lead to permanent blindness of the eyes.
Interviewer: When people forcibly try to play Holi, do any physical damages occur to eyes?
Dr. Sushma: Yes, the hit on eye while forcibly playing holi also hurts the eye. It may cause retinal injury, pressure on the eyes, sometimes it may lead to cataract also.
Interviewer: What precaution should the people follow who wear eye contact lenses?
Dr. Sushma: The people wearing eye contact lenses should remove them before going out to play Holi. It’s better to wear big protective glasses or covers while playing holi so that colors do not get into the eyes.
Interviewer: Is there any safe color available which are not harmful for eyes?
Dr. Sushma: Generally homemade colors which are made out of vegetable and flowers, the organic colors are comparatively safer than toxic colors available in the market. Moreover, the liquid color is safe than the powder colors and it is recommended to add more water to it as water dilutes the chemical of the color and brings down the toxicity.
Interviewer: Finally what precautions one should take before going out to play Holi?
Dr. Sushma: There are some precautions which should be followed before going out to play Holi. They are:-
- Delicate parts like eyes, ears and nose should be covered.
- Skin must be totally covered with full sleeves shirt and pant.
- Protective glasses for eyes; masks for nose should be used.
- Use organic colors to play holi.
- Add water to powder colors to bring down their toxicity
- Apply some moisturizers in the exposed part before playing holi. It protects the skin from absorbing the colors.
- Don’t force anyone to play holi.
“We should play Holi for our happiness, but that shouldn’t end in creating any problem for our Health. Wish you all a very happy and safe Holi.” – Dr. Sushma
Report by Joydev Majumdar
