Stay clear of vodka eyeballing or risk going blind, teens warned

Melbourne: Health experts in Australia have warned that the new fad of vodka eyeballing could rob teenagers of their sight.

The craze of pouring pure vodka straight into the eye has caught the attention of extreme drinkers due to a deluge of videos on YouTube highlighting the stunt as it promises fast-tracked intoxication. Some Victorian teenagers have been reported to be experimenting the daring drinking stunt. However, experts have warned that the practice will not make people drunk quicker and can cause devastating long-term damage to eyesight. Dr Mark Medownick, the medical director of Medownick Laser Eye Clinic, Richmond, has slammed the practice as being “dangerous and stupid”. “Vodka belongs in the mouth, not the eye,” the Herald Sun quoted Medownick as saying. “Direct application of alcohol to the delicate tissues of the cornea can cause excruciating pain, burns and ulceration. “The mechanism is very similar to welding flash burns, which everyone knows are very painful. “It may even lead to temporary blindness until the corneal surface heals,” he added. ANI