Safe Holi 2026: Doctor Warns Against Hidden Eye Risks To Keep In Mind Before Playing With Colours

The festival of colours is right around the corner, and excitement is high. Gulaals have been bought, children have filled their water buckets, and pichkaris have been loaded with water ahead of the celebrations on March 4. A major tradition of Holi is to apply vibrant colours on each other. But amid the revelry, one area that often gets overlooked is eye safety. With synthetic colours, water jets and prolonged sun exposure, eyes are suscpetible to to irritation and infection.

Dr Rimpika Mahajan, Senior Consultant at Sharp Sight Eye Hospitals, shares the risks of reckless Holi celebration on one's eyes. She says, “Every year, eye clinics see a rise in patients just after the festival. Most come in saying the same thing: “It was just a little colour.” The problem is that the surface of the eye is extremely delicate. Many synthetic colours contain chemicals, fine dust or abrasive particles. When these enter the eye, they can cause irritation, redness and sometimes tiny scratches on the cornea, the clear layer at the front of the eye.”

In the same conversation, Dr Mahajan also shared that most people resort to rubbing their eyes upon experiencing irritation, which only makes matters worse. She added, “Rubbing pushes particles deeper and increases the chance of injury. Even dry gulal, when mixed with sweat or water, can turn gritty and more damaging than it appears.”

Talking particularly about the risks of playing with water, the eye specialist says, “Water balloons and forceful splashes are another hidden risk. The pressure from a close-range throw can lead to blunt eye injury, swelling or internal damage that may not be visible immediately. Blurred vision or persistent pain after such an impact should never be ignored.”

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The doctor also flagged concerns over people who delay treatment and mistake the eye irritation for temporary discomfort. But, she says, “it develops into an infection or a corneal ulcer, which can affect vision if untreated.”

What to do if colour enters the eye while playing Holi?

As per the doctor, the safest thing to do when colour enters the eye is to ‘rinse gently with clean running water for several minutes.’ She adds, “Avoid home remedies like rose water, milk or random eye drops. If discomfort, redness or blurred vision continues, seek medical help promptly.”

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In other precautionary steps, opt for organic or herbal gulal instead of synthetic colours that may contain harmful chemicals. Artificial dyes can cause redness, itching, a burning sensation and even temporary blurred vision if they enter the eyes. It is also advised to play Holi while wearing sunglasses, which will also add to your fashion game. Once the festivities are over, wash your face carefully. Splash water gently over closed eyes first, then clean around the eyelids without applying pressure. Avoid harsh soaps near the eye area.

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