SATURDAY, Dec. 31, 2011 (HealthDay News) -- If champagne is a part of your New Year's Eve celebration, use care when you pop the cork or it could turn into a dangerous projectile that can cause serious eye damage, the American Academy of Ophthalmology warns.
When it leaves the bottle, a cork can reach speeds of up to 50 miles an hour and have enough force to shatter glass. This type of impact on an eye can cause acute glaucoma, detached retina and staining of the cornea, all of which can result in decreased vision.
"Champagne cork eye injuries can have a devastating impact on your vision," Dr. Kuldev Singh, an ophthalmologist and clinical correspondent for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, said in an academy news release.
"Many champagne cork-related eye injuries necessitate urgent surgery to prevent significant, permanent vision loss -- a terrible way to spend the holidays. If you follow a few simple steps to properly open a bottle of champagne, you can keep your holidays enjoyable and safe," Singh said.
Here are the AAO's tips for safely opening a bottle of champagne, also called sparkling wine:
More information
Prevent Blindness America has more about eye safety at home.