Play Holi with Care!

Festival of colors Holi is around. People are unaware of the harm that colors especially, the synthetic ones can have on eyes. Therefore, one needs to protect their eyes as they are very sensitive and any negligence can be risky for the vision. Enclosed below is an article of mine suggesting few simple tips which can be followed to prevent eye injuries while playing Holi.

 

Have a Happy & Safe Holi

Indians celebrate Holi by wishing their elders with a tilak on their forehead. Usually, gulaal is used for tilak but in order to make these colors more vibrant and shiny, crushed glass or a glossy metal is often mixed in Gulaal which can lead to major eye injuries, especially when applied on forehead. To add joy to the festivity, people smear colors on the faces of their dear ones. The adulteration is not just restricted to Gulaal but also with other colors popular among children like water colors, grease etc. So, it is advised to play carefully and try using organic or natural colors. Also, if possible wear sunglasses in order to avoid these colors to enter the eye.

Eye care during Holi

Traditionally, Holi colors were made of organic herbs and flowers. These fragrant natural colors had therapeutic value and were beneficial for your skin and health. But, with the advancement of time and high demand of colors, making and selling synthetic colors have become a business these days. These synthetic colors are high in chemicals and most of them are dyes, used for dyeing textiles. Not just for skin, these colors are a nightmare for your eyes. Considering all these factors we don’t wish to use these colors but we can’t even miss the festivity this occasion brings to us. So, it is really important to take care of our eyes while celebrating. The most basic way of protecting your eyes is to keep eyes shut when someone smears color over your face or pour colored water on you. Also, apply thick layers of cold cream around your eyes so that it can be easily removed without struggling or rubbing the area around the eye harshly.

Keep your Eyes Safe this Holi

As Holi is near, there’s a splash of colors everywhere.  But while celebrating this festival,  make sure that the colors whether powder or sprays used in Holi, do not get into your eyes as these colors have a high chemical content. Our eyes are really sensitive and such strong chemicals can cause irritation and redness. So, be protective about your eyes and if unfortunately colors enter your eyes, wash them thoroughly with cold water.  However, if there is intense pain or burning sensation, one must visit an eye specialist. The granular particles present in bright colors are very harmful for your vision and can damage the cornea which can lead to corneal abrasion.