Countless bottles of fizz will be popped over Christmas and New Year, but Britons are urged to be careful.
Experts have warned of the permanent eye damage that opening a bottle in the wrong way could cause.
They shared that the pressure in a standard 750ml bottle of fizz is around three times that of a car tyre.
This can cause the cork to fly as far as 13 metres at a speed of 50 miles per hour.
Many Britons will enjoy fizz this Christmas
GETTY
Whether it is champagne, prosecco, sparkling wine or cava, Britons should open with caution.
The cork can hit the eye within 0.05 seconds of being popped which can make the blinking reflex ineffective.
Other injuries could include permanent blindness, the retina being detached, bleeding or lens dislocation, according to experts from the University of Cambridge’s Department of Ophthalmology.
Anyone who is hit in the eye by a cork should seek medical advice.
The expert shared advice for Britons to follow for a safer experience this Christmas.
Chilling a bottle before opening it can help reduce the pressure and cork velocity.
Those opening the drink should avoid pointing the bottle upwards, and instead point it at a 45-degree angle away from others.
Britons can also press down on the cork to counteract the rising pressure.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Britons should be careful when opening bottles
PA
This comes as Britons were warned of the potential safety risk Christmas decorations could cause.
A doctor warned decorations, real trees and Christmas candles could cause breathing difficulties and fever symptoms.
Real trees can spark problems for those with allergies or asthma and decorations that have been stored upstairs could be covered in mould spores.
