HAZARDOUS EFFECTS OF HOLI COLOURS ON EYES

Holi,the festival of colours is celebrated with grandeur in India.As it involves the throwing of colours or directly applying on one another particularly over face, accidental entry of these colours into the eyes is inevitable. Ocular exposure to these colours containing toxic substances can often lead to various ocular manifestation ranging from mild irritation or burning sensation of the eyes to severe inflammatory reaction and other related problems. Purpose: To describe the pattern of ocular manifestations following exposure to Holi colours in a tertiary care center in Assam. Methods: An observational study of 17 consecutive patients attending the Out-patient and Emergency department with ocular complains following exposure to Holi colours was conducted. Results: 17 consecutive patients attending the Outpatient and Emergency department with ocular complains following exposure to Holi colours was reported.Majority (11 patients) were males and 6 females. Most commom presenting symptom was irritation or foreign body sensation and redness.Majority had a visual acuity of 6/18 or better during their initial presentation.Clinically,conjunctival congestion was the most common finding in this study. Other clinical signs included swollen eyelids, skin erosions, conjunctival chemosis,sub- conjunctival haemorrhage,corneal epitheliopathy and anterior chamber reaction.