It's the most wonderful time of the year! With the holidays approaching, spending time with loved ones, eating good food, and popping the bubbly are at an all-time high! While all of these are reasons to celebrate, it's also a good time to talk a little about eye safety, especially related to champagne season. Corks can fly at a speed of 80km/h, or about 50mph when it leaves the bottle!
According to the British Journal of Ophthalmology, corks can reach the eye in less than 0.05 seconds from a typical opening distance. As such, eye doctors across the country see a spike in eye related injuries around the holidays from champagne corks. While of course, we don't see this as a reason not to participate in the fun, here are a few tips to celebrate safely:
- Chill the bottle for several hours in the fridge.
- Remove the bottle without shaking it, and un-do the cage over the cork. Some recommend keeping the cork covered at all times with a towel to prevent early, unexpected mishaps!
- Point the bottle at a 45 degree angle, AWAY from yourself or anyone else (This is the most important… most accidents occur from people looking at the cork while removing it, according to one source).
- Slowly twist the bottle, while holding onto the cork, and a small, little ‘whoop’ with bubbles of happiness should ensue.
- Enjoy, happily and SAFELY, and save yourself an unnecessary eye exam :).
