BENGALURU: Doctors at Minto Eye Hospital in Bengaluru see cases of eye injuries among children due to slaked lime (chuna or calcium hydroxide) while they play with it. Dr BL Sujatha Rathod, medical superintendent, Minto Eye Hospital, said that these cases are usually reported by children of working-class persons as they tend to consume it more. “We see around 10-15 cases annually of children coming to the hospital with complaints of eye burns caused by chuna. Children usually find the small bottles in the house and while fiddling with it, accidently causes it to spurt out.”
Apart from slaked lime, accident cases are also reported from other mild acidic substances used for domestic purposes like cleaning. Dr Shwetha HR said that monthly around five cases are accidental eye burn cases. The cases usually range from mild to severe. In severe cases, the patient loses vision completely if the fluid in large quantities enter the eye, resulting in major burns.
Doctors suggested that parents have to be more cautious and ensure that such items are kept out of the reach of children. Experts said they are also perturbed by the health hazards of other smoking and non-smoking tobacco products like beedi, gutka, paan among others which are generally consumed by working-class people.
SJ Chander from the Consortium from Tobacco Free Karnataka said despite 85 per cent of Indians consuming tobacco products which are not regulated and pointed out the hike in cigarette prices, and said that other products were ignored, which will fail to reduce consumption of tobacco products.