By Valerie Chinn, vchinn@fox41.com
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB Fox 41) -- It's a dangerous drinking game with two things that don't mix: Vodka and your eyes.
It's called Vodka Eyeballing or "Vodka Balling." It's been seen in dozens of YouTube videos. Instead of drinking Vodka, they're tipping back their heads and either taking the bottle, or just a shot glass full -- and they're pouring the Vodka straight into their eye.
It originated in the U.K. and has made its way to the U.S. in the past six months.
"The danger is Vodka has a high concentration of alcohol, 30 to 40 percent concentration of alcohol, and alcohol is known to be toxic to the cells or the skin's layer of the cornea," said Dr. Asim Piracha with the John-Kenyon American Eye Institute.
For more information on the John-Kenyon American Eye Institute, click here.
Piracha warns people about the dangers of putting alcohol in your eye. Teens are trying this to get buzzed or drunk faster.
"Medically speaking, there's no real way that Vodka balling makes you feel more drunk or feel the euphoria of alcohol faster," he said. "All it really does is cause pain and even potential damage to the eye."
The most serious danger of Vodka balling is actually going blind.
"There are reports of scarring of cornea, loss of vision, haziness of cornea, and in some cases, cornea transplant," he said.
Despite the stinging pain from putting Vodka in your eye, people are continuing to download videos of themselves doing it. Sometimes it's a dare. Other times, they just want to show how it's done. Either way, doctors warn repeated use could cause even more damage to your eye.
"If you are making a choice between having a good laugh or going blind, I think it's an easy choice to not participate in this activity," Piracha said.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology also issued statements about the dangers of Vodka balling:
"A dangerous drinking game called 'vodka eyeballing' is attracting public attention on YouTube. People need to be aware that anyone who pours vodka directly into his eye risks damaging the surface epithelial cells–often causing pain and infection. More seriously, 'eyeballing' can also lead to permanent vision damage by killing endothelial cells in deeper layers of the eye's cornea. This is unlikely, but possible. The cornea is the clear outer part of the eye that focuses light and provides much of the optical power. Depending on the amount of alcohol and length of time it is in contact with the eye, epithelial cell loss could result in corneal ulcers or scarring, not to mention a great deal of pain. And if endothelial cells die off, vision recovery would be uncertain. 'Eyeballers' do not even get a 'quick high' as claimed, because the volume of vodka absorbed by the conjunctiva and cornea is too small to have that effect."
The American Academy of Ophthalmology strongly advises the public not to engage in "vodka eyeballing."
For information on AAO, click here.
