In the line of sight: public distributors of hydroalcoholic solutions
Several ophthalmologists from different hospitals in France have contacted the Center Anitpoisons to report serious eye damage to children who have received hydrolalcoholic gel in the eyes. In most cases, the culprits are the distributors of hydro-alcoholic solution made available in stores or other places open to the public. In fact, since the gel dispensers are located at children’s eye level and are easily operable, they are sometimes seen by the latter, like games.
Except, when the gel enters the eye, it can cause redness, irritation and inflammation of the eye and sometimes even impaired vision through damage to the cornea. According to Dominique Vandijck, deputy director general of the Antipoisons Center: “ in extreme cases, surgical treatment and long-term follow-up are sometimes necessary “.
63 cases identified in less than four months
Since the start of the Covid-19 epidemic, the Poison Control Center has received more than 1,225 calls for accidents involving hydroalcoholic gels. According to Dominique Vandijck: “ For more than a quarter of the victims, it is a splash of hydroalcoholic gel on the eye (27%), of which more than half were children (55%) “.
In the ANSES press release, it is specified that 63 cases which presented eye symptoms were recorded by the poison centers between May 11 and August 24, 2020. According to specialists: ” these accidental projections of hydro-alcoholic gel occurred for three-quarters of them in a store or a shopping center or in a restaurant, a swimming pool, a public garden, a theater, for the remaining cases “.
Advice from ANSES, the Poison Control Centers and the French Society of Ophthalmology
To safely use hydro-alcoholic solutions and avoid the risk of eye damage in children, ANSES, the Poison Control Centers and the French Society of Ophthalmology, have presented recommendations for use, namely:
- Do not let young children use the hydro-alcoholic gel dispensers. Supporters are advised to take the gel themselves to apply it directly to the palms of the children.
- In case of projection in the eye, it is recommended to immediately rinse the eye for about fifteen minutes under a stream of clear water (tap water or bottled water).
- If in doubt, it is advisable to call a poison control center and consult an ophthalmologist.
