Hand sanitizers hurt children’s eyes: Find out how to protect your children during the COVID pandemic

New Delhi: Preventing COVID-19 by following the various measures has been touted as one of the few ways to stay safe and away from COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, also known as SARS-CoV-2. Hand hygiene remains important in warding off illnesses such as COVID-19, as our hands become carriers of these pathogens from the surfaces of our nose or mouth, where the virus can enter the body and cause illness. Frequent hand washing and the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers are recommended to prevent COVID-19. However, according to recent studies, hand sanitizers damage people’s eyes, especially children’s eyes.

According to recent reports, chemical injuries to the eyes of children have been reported as a result of accidental ingress of hand sanitizers. The study indicates that hand sanitizer dispensers in public places put young children at a high risk of exposure to dangerous chemicals. According to data from the French Poison Center, the cases of exposure to dangerous chemicals reported between April and August 2020, were seven times higher than those reported during the same period, a year earlier.

During the same period, 16 children were admitted to a pediatric ophthalmology hospital in Paris because droplets of hand sanitizer got into their eyes, compared to a single boy in 2019. Two severe cases required intervention surgery to transplant tissue into their corneas.

The cases where patients had to be hospitalized involved children all under the age of 4 according to the researchers, because while the height at which disinfectant dispensers in public spaces are placed is mainly at waist level for adults, it is at eye level for young children.

“With the current widespread use of hand sanitizer in public places, it is no surprise that young children are drawn to these dispensers, many of which appear to be inadvertently designed to facilitate contact between the hand sanitizer. and young eyes, ”said Dr. Kathryn Colby of the Department of Ophthalmology at the Grossman School of Medicine at New York University in a commentary accompanying the research. The study was published in the journal JAMA Opthalmology Thursday.

Hand sanitizer accounted for just 1.3% of all eye exposure incidents to chemicals in children in 2019, according to the French database. That number was 9.9% in 2020, and most cases were said to be mild.

The greatest risk to children, according to research, could come from dispensers installed in public places. In 2020, 63 cases of exposure occurred in a public place, while none were reported in 2019.

Many hand sanitizers contain a high concentration of ethanol, which can kill corneal cells, putting young children at an increased risk of serious eye injury.

A similar study published in the same journal told doctors in India. They detail the cases of two children who accidentally injected hand sanitizer into their eyes, with serious consequences. The 4-year-old complained that she couldn’t bear to look at the light, while the 5-year-old had eyelid damage. Both children made a full recovery after treatment with saline washes and eye drops, but their doctors said there was a need to consider the potential risks of hand sanitizers in public places and schools.

What you can do to protect your children from injury from hand sanitizer

Here are some ways to minimize the risk of eye injury with hand sanitizer, especially in children.

• Since many hand sanitizers placed in public areas are automated, make sure children steer clear of them as they detect movement and release a spray / piece of sanitizer that can get into their eyes.
• Make sure children wear glasses at all times, especially if they have poor eyesight. Glasses can prevent disinfectant from getting into their eyes.
• If the child is very young, be sure to give him the hand sanitizer yourself to sanitize his hands.
• Prefer hand washing to hand disinfection, when a sink is accessible.

Disclaimer: The tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or healthcare professional if you have specific questions about a medical problem.