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Think of New Years Eve and you immediately think of drinks flowing, happy smiling faces, laughter, excitement and many a romantic kiss at midnight. The actual event itself never seems to follow this same route with the end result never quite being quite as glamorous as is imagined, and trips to hospital and emergency rooms around the globe being far more common than would be welcome. Bizarrely, one of the more common issues and complaints seen by doctors and nurses over the festive period involve champagne corks and the interaction of said objects with the eyes of party goers.
With corks estimated at being capable of flying at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour, it comes as no surprise that when they go a miss of the intended targets, they can cause serious damage upon impact, and even more dangerous should they come into contact with a persons eye. It is amongst the most common holiday-related eye hazards in the US with potentially blinding eye injuries not unheard of.
With these potential horrors in mind, the American Academy of Ophthalmology have released a number of precautions to take over the New Years period to enjoy a safe and enjoyable time:
- Warm champagne means high risks of unexpected cork popping. Chill to at least 45 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure safe opening.
- Don't shake the bottle. You know what happens with a shaken coke can? Same rules of physics apply.
- Leave the corkscrew to one side. If it's carbonated, pop the cork.
- To open the bottle safely, hold down the cork with the palm of your hand while removing the wire hood.
- Don't point the bottle at anyone, including yourself.
- Continue until the cork is almost out of the neck. Counter the force of the cork using slight downward pressure just as the cork breaks free from the bottle.