Do not use toxic colours yourself, and discourage others from using them, too. (Source: Getty/Thinkstock)
The festival of colours is just a few days away, and if you are looking to celebrate it with great joy and gusto this year, make sure you exercise some precaution as well. Remember that the festival is all about happiness and revelry. And it should be celebrated in the same spirit. Do not get so carried away that you get injured or end up injuring another. Among other things, protect your eyes at all costs, because they are important. Here some things that you must remember.
Don’t wear contact lenses
Holi is all about colours. People, quite literally, bathe in both dry and wet colours. If you step out wearing contact lenses, the colours can get inside your eyes and settle on them. This will not only make you feel uncomfortable, but can cause a chemical reaction, too, which can be highly damaging. It is, therefore, advisable to leave contact lenses at home.
Protective glasses
Do not let anything stop you from enjoying the festival. Your participation requires you to take some precautionary measures, though. Among them is wearing a protective glass to keep colours and chemicals from entering your eyes. Remember that sometimes people tend to get raucous while celebrating with colours, causing others to get injured. Stay safe and protect your eyes — or at least minimise the risk — by wearing a pair of sunglasses, or even zero-power glasses.
Wearing a protective glass can keep colours and chemicals from entering your eyes. (Source: Getty/Thinkstock)
Tie up your hair
Next, tie your hair in a neat bun or a ponytail. This will, to some extent, protect them, and also prevent the dripping down of colours to the eyes. Alternatively, you can also use a scarf to keep the hair, face and eyes safe.
Don’t use toxic colours
Do not use toxic colours yourself, and discourage others from using them, too. Some colours have hazardous chemicals in them like lead, mercury, asbestos and silica. These are so noxious that they can cause great pain and irritation, along with redness, allergy-like symptoms, and even loss of vision. Instead, you can opt for naturally-made colours available in the market. These are made using flowers and turmeric; they are extremely benign.
Never rub eyes
If you feel itchy in the eyes, or feel a foreign substance inside, it is best to rinse it with water, than to use your hands and rub it. Your hands are also likely to be dirty, causing more dirt and colours to enter the eyes. This can cause more harm; it can even potentially damage the cornea.