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As year-end gatherings such as Christmas parties continue to take place, caution is required when opening a bottle of champagne. This is because if you inadvertently open the champagne cap, there is a high possibility that the cork will fly out quickly and hurt your eyes.
On the 25th, Dr. Ethan Weissberg’s team, an ophthalmologist at the University of Cambridge in the UK, published an article titled ‘Champagne corks and eye injuries’ in the famous BMJ (British Medical Journal) and said, “Eye injuries from corkscrews are a significant threat to eye health, so they should be avoided during this holiday season. “You have to be careful,” he said. “If the cork, which moves from the bottle to the eye within 0.05 seconds, touches the eye, permanent blindness and retinal detachment (a condition in which the retina falls off the inner wall of the eye) may occur.”
According to research, the pressure inside a 750ml bottle of champagne or wine is about three times that of a car tire. Therefore, the cork on the bottle can fly up to a distance of 13 meters (m) at a speed of up to 80 kilometers (km) per hour.
Additionally, small corks have a higher risk of eye damage than soccer balls or basketballs. This is because when it hits the eye, the bones around the eye do not absorb the shock and the eyeball itself receives the shock.
There are also cases of loss of vision. Theo Campbell, a broadcaster who appeared on the British dating show Love Island, underwent two surgeries after being hit by a cork in 2019, but ended up losing sight in his right eye.
How to safely uncork a champagne bottle (Screen capture from the internationally renowned medical journal BMJ’s ‘2023 Christmas Special’ page)
According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology guidelines, there are five major steps to safely uncorking a cork. It is best to cool the champagne first and then open the bottle. This is because the bubbles in the bottle are made of gas that expands more when warm.
Also, before opening the champagne bottle, you must tilt it 45 degrees in the direction away from people. Next, you must slowly unscrew the wire cage (wire fixture) while pressing the cork with your palm. Afterwards, it is a good idea to hold the cork firmly while wrapping the mouth of the bottle with a towel.
Finally, lightly twist the bottle until the cork loosens, then push the cork down to remove it.
The researchers said, “After an injury, customized management by an ophthalmologist is necessary. Prompt consultation with an ophthalmologist is essential to minimize the risk of vision impairment.”
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2023-12-25 07:27:14
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