'Chuna' in plastic cones can hurt children's eyes: Expert

Bhopal, July 9 (UNI) The sale of 'chuna (lime)' in plastic cones has come as a reckless endangerment to the ocular health of children, warns a Madhya Pradesh-based senior opthamologist.

Dr N K Ajwani told UNI that he had come across several cases when children got their eyes hurt after lime came out from the cone -- like water from 'pichkari (water gun)' -- when it got pressed.

''Many times, parents, who are fond of tobacco and 'pan', send their children to fetch lime, which comes in plastic cones these days,'' he said.

''The lime is ready for use after it is kept in water for some time. On several occasions, children start playing with the cones leading to accident and sometimes temporary or primary blindness.'' Underlining the necessity of eyecare, Dr Ajwani said it was as much important as our concern for our heart.

He said in rural areas, negligence during harvesting of crops, especially paddy, caused fungus infection to farmers and labourers.

The percentage of blindness in such cases was quite high.

''The upper corner of paddy crop -- which generally has some sort of fungus infection -- comes into contact with lower eyelid several times during harvesting,'' he explained.

More UNI SD-PS 1131