For many, the countdown on New Year’s Eve is a time to celebrate with friends and family and pop open a bottle of bubbly, but for others, it could mean getting hit in the eye with a champagne cork that could lead to a trip to the emergency room and even permanent vision loss.
“Champagne cork eye injuries can have a devastating impact on your vision,” said Kuldev Singh, M.D., M.P.H., clinical correspondent for the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Professor of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine. “Eye-related cork injuries can lead to acute glaucoma, detached retina and staining of the cornea, all of which can result in decreased vision. Many champagne cork-related eye injuries necessitate urgent surgery to prevent significant, permanent vision loss — a terrible way to spend the holidays.”
A cork can fly up to 50 miles per hour as it leaves the bottle. “Incorrect popping of champagne corks is one of the most common holiday-related eye hazards. Anything that travels with such force can have a dangerous effect if it strikes your eye,” said Dr. Singh.
Every year, warm bottles of champagne, coupled with bad cork-removal techniques are responsible for causing serious, potentially blinding injuries. “If you follow a few simple steps to properly open a bottle of champagne, you can keep your holidays enjoyable and safe,” says Dr. Singh.
Here are some tips on opening a bottle of champagne properly:
- Make sure sparkling wine is chilled to at least 45 degrees Fahrenheit before opening. The cork of a warm bottle is more likely to pop unexpectedly.
- Don’t shake the bottle. Shaking increases the speed at which the cork leaves the bottle thereby increasing your chances of severe eye injury.
- To open the bottle safely, hold down the cork with the palm of your hand while removing the wire hood. Point the bottle at a 45-degree angle away from yourself and from any bystanders.
- Place a towel over the entire top of the bottle and grasp the cork.
- Keep the bottle at a 45-degree angle as you slowly and firmly twist the bottle while holding the cork to break the seal. Continue to hold the cork while twisting the bottle. Continue until the cork is almost out of the neck. Counter the force of the cork using slight downward pressure just as the cork breaks free from the bottle.
- Never use a corkscrew to open a bottle of champagne or sparkling wine.
American Academy of Ophthalmology
There are also frames that have a back bevel further forward than the front edge. These require a carve-out of the back lens bevel so the lens will stay seated in the frame. An easy method to check for this type is to remove the sample lens and place a PD stick against the lens bevel. Figure 6 shows the difference in two frames; the one below with the PD stick angled requires special edging.
commissioned by Essilor of America, Inc. revealed a disturbing fact that 20 percent of eyeglass wearers sometimes drive without their prescription glasses and instead wear non-prescription sunglasses, quickly making day-driving unnecessarily treacherous.
The X-IDE 2011 Sunglass collection was developed with sensations that touch the five senses. We were captivated by emotions derived from the world of textiles; where we discovered patterns, yarns and prints in a thousand shades of nature, rich in tradition. These fabrics gave life to the new X-IDE collection, as well as the names of each model.
We looked closely at the materials, the accumulation of tones that create gradients of color. We breathed the perfume of the threads that over time create an unmistakable fragrance. We listened to the brush of the raw silks, nets, cottons and damasks. We caressed soft wools, cashmere and even wool derived from Yaks. We were left with a taste of culture that has evolved over the ages. Unique. Therefore the names: Batik, Denim, Piqué, Blazer, Cotton, Pashmina or Silk’s.
This holiday season, EyeCare America has launched a campaign called, “Do You See What I See?” The campaign aims to connect eligible seniors with sight-saving eye exams and eye health information. EyeCare America’s year-round program provides eye exams at no out-of-pocket cost to people age 65 and older and offers free educational materials. The eye exams will be provided by nearly 7,000 volunteer ophthalmologists across the U.S. Those interested in the program can visit 
Established in 1985, EyeCare America, the public service program of the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, is committed to the preservation of sight, accomplishing its mission through public service and education. EyeCare America provides eye care services to medically underserved seniors and those at increased risk for eye disease through its corps of 7,000 volunteer ophthalmologists dedicated to serving their communities. More than 90 percent of the care made available is provided at no out-of-pocket cost to the patients. Since its inception, EyeCare America has helped more than 1.5 million people. EyeCare America is a non-profit program whose success is made possible through charitable contributions from individuals, foundations and corporations. More information can be found at: 
In a move questioned by the New York Civil Liberties Union and some of New York’s top lawyers, the New York Police Department is now using machines to photograph and scan the irises of prisoners as they pass through New York Central Booking. The department claims that this new high-tech identification program is part of a failsafe measure meant to prevent escapes as suspects move through New York’s complex and winding court system.
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