If the day before you consumed more intoxicating drinks than you planned, in the morning you will have to take care of your appearance and, if possible, remove traces of yesterday's fun from your face.
The consequences of a wild party occur both due to the direct effects of alcohol, and due to lack of sleep and dehydration: skin cells cannot recover and work correctly, which leads to a dull complexion, inflammation and swelling, and capillaries dilated by alcohol cause redness. Fortunately, many of these troubles are easy to eliminate with proper care. Here are a few steps to help your face look better and help you feel better.
The effect of alcohol on human vision
Ophthalmologists came to the conclusion that the abuse of alcohol-containing drinks leads to diseases of the cornea, retinal pathologies, ametropia (impaired the ability of the visual organ to refract light rays), and astigmatism. Very often, people suffering from alcoholism are faced with a pathology such as cataracts - clouding of the lens - a transparent body consisting of proteins. Alcohol leads to the oxidation of proteins and loss of transparency in the lens, which greatly affects the functions of the visual apparatus. These are not all the ophthalmological ailments that alcoholics suffer from.
In some cases, alcohol can lead to complete and irreversible blindness.
Scientists through various studies have found out how alcohol affects the organs of vision. This process looks like this:
- Poor blood circulation in the eyes. As soon as alcohol (ethanol) enters the blood, the level of red blood cells decreases, the lack of which leads to a drop in hemoglobin levels and the formation of blood clots. As a result, access to the organs of oxygen is limited, the molecules of which are more difficult to move through the vessels due to clots. The eyes, like any human organ, need constant oxygen supply. Regular consumption of alcohol leads to oxygen starvation of the eye tissues, which manifests itself in dryness and burning. Alcohol has the ability to dilate blood vessels when entering the circulatory system. However, this stage does not last long. After some time, the blood vessels begin to narrow, which causes an increase in blood pressure. The vision becomes dark and the image they receive becomes blurry. Severe intoxication can cause partial or complete loss of vision in a person.
- Redness of the sclera. The vessels of the brain are responsible for supplying oxygen to the tissues of the eye. Their narrowing leads to increased intracranial pressure, which causes small capillaries on the retina and eyelids to burst. Perhaps red eyes are the most common symptom of a hangover that many have encountered. Systematic alcohol abuse leads to systemic disruption of the blood supply to organs. Regular bleeding into the eyes (hemorrhages) occurs. Along with redness of the sclera, symptoms such as pain in the eyes, a feeling of sand, itching, burning, and pain appear.
- Optic nerve atrophy. Ethyl alcohol interferes with the normal nutrition of the optic nerve, causing fibers to die that can no longer be restored. This process is irreversible and can lead to permanent blindness.
The following signs are characteristic of optic nerve atrophy:
- “blind spots” (entire areas of the image fall out of sight);
- color vision impairment;
- narrowing of visual fields and the development of “tunnel vision” syndrome, when a person sees the world around him as if through a telescope;
- decreased visual acuity;
- painful sensations when moving the eyeballs.
Optic nerve atrophy is a very dangerous pathology that can lead to complete loss of vision. At the same time, pathological changes are practically impossible to correct. The disease progresses very quickly. A person who is on a binge may not notice that he is gradually losing the ability to see well. All these problems arise not due to a one-time use of an alcohol-containing drink, but as a result of systematic drunkenness. The temporary effect of alcohol on the eyes is not catastrophic; it is familiar to everyone who has drank alcohol at least once in their life.
Causes of redness in the eyes after alcohol
Redness of the eyeball after drinking alcohol is caused by dilation of the blood vessels in the eyes. Further symptoms may include swelling of the face caused by increased blood pressure and fluid retention, and even a change in the color of the tongue (pallor).
Dehydration occurs after drinking alcohol. With its regular and excessive use, wrinkles and circles under the eyes appear. In places where the skin is thinner (nose, face, eyebrow area), a capillary network appears, caused by vasodilation.
Further health effects include decreased blood supply to the extremities due to slow blood flow.
Important! With regular drinking, the effects of alcohol consumption in the form of red eyes can become permanent.
How does alcohol temporarily affect vision?
We figured out how alcohol affects the organs of vision when it is abused, that is, with alcoholism. Anyone can notice the temporary effect of alcohol on the eyes, even if they are slightly intoxicated. When ethanol enters the body once, the functioning of the nervous system of the eye is disrupted. Alcohol negatively affects the condition of the nerve endings of the visual organs, causing a decrease in their sensitivity. As a result, a drunk person perceives the surrounding reality differently from sober people. The size of objects and the distance between them decreases. In addition, diplopia occurs - double vision.
Alcohol affects the center of the brain, which ensures the functioning of visual functions. The work of the eye muscles slows down, the visual axes shift. All this leads to a split picture. Symptoms disappear as soon as the person sobers up.
The effect of alcohol on the baby's eyes in the womb
Now you know how alcohol affects the vision of an adult. Can it affect the baby's eye health while he is still in the womb? Ethyl alcohol can seriously disrupt the development of the fetus. Even a single consumption of an alcohol-containing drink can lead to a child being born with severe eye diseases, including blindness. The visual system of the embryo begins to form within 3-5 weeks after conception. First, the eye vesicles connected to the brain are formed. After another two weeks, eyeballs and lenses appear.
The placenta cannot protect the embryo from alcohol. When a pregnant woman drinks, ethanol enters the fetal bloodstream and enters the brain. All tissues of the eye are affected, including the optic nerve.
In this regard, drinking mothers often give birth to children with ophthalmological pathologies. Their danger is that in most cases they are incurable.
Women who drink also run the risk of giving birth to a baby with visual deformities. Such children often remain disabled for life.
“RED EYES” – WHAT YOU NEED FOR A HANGOVER
Without champagne, a New Year's table is like a cow without an udder. Do you know exactly what is better to snack on: assorted salads, fruit or chocolate? By the way, in the painting “Fresh Cavalier” by the 19th century Russian painter Fedotov, several empty bottles of the divine drink are adjacent to... gnawed fish heads. Exclusively for MK readers, competent advice on the tricky science of “drinking” is given by the head of the group of scientific consultants of the All-Russian Exhibition Center tasting room Vasily Vladimirovich KOROVIN. There will be shots fired in all apartments soon. To the ceiling - You will be surprised, but our ancestors were right: indeed, champagne goes best with roach and other salted fish. You can also use it with black caviar. Brut and semi-dry champagne are excellent aperitifs; it is best to snack on them with sheep's cheese, olives, and small shellfish. Our compatriots, unlike, for example, the British, who love brut and semi-dry champagne, prefer semi-sweet and sweet. It is known that at the end of the last and beginning of this century, the French deliberately added more sugar to champagne for Russia. It is not forbidden to buy a bottle or two in advance. But is it worth storing it in the refrigerator for several weeks at a time? "In no case! - our expert states categorically. “Champagne can be placed in a cool place for no more than 2 days; if stored for longer, the cold will simply “kill” the performance of the wine.” However, champagne is served chilled; to do this, simply place it in the refrigerator for about an hour. It’s especially chic to serve a “fog-shrouded” bottle in an ice bucket! You can, of course, not cool the drink at all if a “surprise fountain” is planned. When cooling, the pressure in the bottle decreases by about 1 atmosphere, which reduces the risk of opening the wine “hussar style” - with a cork in the ceiling. If you don’t want voluminous foam caps, take the time to cool the glasses; The easiest way is to place several pieces of ice in each glass. Erotica: 8 and a half minutes Inspired by the new millennium, it is important to remember that champagne is a drink of one glass. “This is one of the most insidious drinks,” the expert assures us. — Carbon dioxide contained in the drink stimulates the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines and helps to increase the rate of ethanol entering the blood. If a gentleman wants to achieve what he wants, let him treat his lady to champagne, in eight minutes she will be in a great mood!” If champagne is a drink of one glass, then red sparkling wine is a drink of half a glass, this is a super festive wine. “At the dawn of my passion for winemaking, my friends and I drank several bottles of this wonderful wine every day,” continues the expert. — Six months later, we turned into chronic hypertensive patients. The instant penetration of both alcohol and red cells contained in wine into the blood greatly strained the work of the heart. Brezhnev also fell for the same bait at one time. Tsimlyanskoe sparkling Cossack wine was supplied to delegates of party congresses. Leonid Ilyich very highly appreciated the taste of this wine, consuming it in fair quantities during the XXIV Congress of the CPSU Central Committee. For three days in a row after the “tasting”, a team of doctors was on duty behind the scenes of the presidium. The wisdom of the people is “just right” One glass is just right, two is too much, three is not enough! The most pressing question remains: how, after celebrating the New Year, not to “pass out” from what you drink and eat, but to stay on your feet? “It’s better not to mix alcoholic drinks at the table,” says Korovin, “and snack on fatty foods.” Merchants in pre-revolutionary Russia in restaurants were served a glass of sour cream after a glass of vodka. Potatoes and bread adsorb well and absorb alcohol, preventing its rapid absorption into the blood. Vodka should be drunk very chilled; by European standards, a shot glass should contain enough for one sip, i.e., about 20 ml, but we are used to drinking it in scales - 100-gram glasses. Russians like to joke: “Vodka destroys a people, but it won’t do anything to one person.” In any case, it is drunk “in one fell swoop.” It’s good to snack on 40-degree salted vegetables, hot meats and spicy dishes. There are snacks that do not contribute to enjoying the taste and aroma of wine. For example, salad seasoned with vinegar dulls the sensitivity of the tongue, the expert believes. Citrus fruits, vanilla, mocha, cinnamon, chocolate - all these are not the best companions for wine, although we can distinguish their tones in the aromas of some drinks. A classic combination of wine and cheese. The best appetizer for cognac is not lemon, as many people think, but light cheese, hot smoked fish, shrimp, crab, squid, caviar, tomatoes, sweet bell peppers. If it turns out that you started with vodka, sipped wine and washed it all down with beer, then at the end of the feast you need to drink a glass of the strongest drink you drank. At the same time, it is better not to drink it or have a snack. So a glass “for the road” is a wise thing! “At 50” is a good start. Ladies often dilute and wash down strong drinks with carbonated water and various tonics. “This only accelerates intoxication and leads to a severe hangover,” says Korovin. — If you really drink vodka, then only with non-carbonated mineral water. During the meal, I recommend everyone to drink 5-6 glasses of mineral water. It is no secret that alcohol greatly dehydrates the body; it is a strong diuretic. So drink as much water, fruit juice, tea with lemon as possible.” There is an old recipe for how to keep your spirits up even after drinking a lot. An hour or two before the start of the feast, you should drink one or two small glasses of vodka, measuredly and with feeling, and enjoy a snack. If you are a housewife or host and you need to stay in “shape” to see off guests, you need to drink 50 ml of freshly squeezed white cabbage juice two to three hours before drinking alcohol or 100 ml of olive oil an hour before drinking. You will be like a cucumber! We must also remember that smoking greatly enhances the effects of alcohol. And if you are sick and still have enough strength to celebrate the New Year with a glass of wine, under no circumstances take any medications. Such an “explosive” mixture can lead to unpredictable consequences. To each his own. I am sure that there will be people who like to listen to advice on how to get drunk faster. - First of all, drink without snacking. Mix alcoholic drinks, for example, drink champagne and immediately after 1-2 minutes, wash down a glass of strong wine or 100 g of vodka with a bottle of beer. I remembered an old method used by first-year students who want to achieve maximum effect at minimal cost: you need to pour a bottle of beer into a deep plate and slurp it with a spoon. Drinking alcohol slowly allows it to be completely absorbed by the body. The same effect can be achieved by straining a glass of vodka through a straw. Having a hangover, it turns out, is a sacred thing. Many people associate January 1 with headaches and nausea. “10 hours after a heavy feast, the ideal remedy for straightening your head would be 200 g of ice-cold brut or dry champagne, a glass of white wine or 50 g of vodka,” says our expert. — Alcohol in small doses is necessary to balance metabolic processes in the body. Our grandfathers were right, who, waking up with a headache, at the very least hobbled into the cellar to tubs of pickled apples, pickled cucumbers and sauerkraut. For us, city dwellers, “we only dream of a cellar.” Our cucumbers are mostly pickled, and this, according to experts, is by no means the same thing. The brine can be replaced with plenty of vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin C. You can drink tea with lemon, honey or blackcurrant jam. The juice of one or two lemons, diluted with mineral water, is just what you need. Drinking plenty of fluids helps reduce intoxication in the body. Alcohol flushes vitamins B1, B6 and C from the body. Beer is a good hangover cure, as it is rich in vitamins. American military personnel have a unique recipe for “head correction.” They open a bottle of beer the night before. Drink it in the morning when it wears off. You can pour an equal amount of tomato juice into a glass of beer. This cocktail is called "Red Eyes". “If you need to get behind the wheel in the morning, but you can’t get through the door, immediately go under a contrast shower,” the expert advises. — The water should be either as cold or as hot as possible. Then you need to drink 14-16 tablets of activated carbon, it perfectly adsorbs alcohol, and eat a plate of hot meat or chicken broth. When leaving home, put menthol chewing gum in your mouth and 3-4 Upsavita with Vitamin C tablets in your pocket, just in case. People all over the world suffer from hangovers. The “Suffering Bastard” cocktail was brought by our tourists from Cairo. You need to mix two tablespoons of brandy, gin, lemon juice, add lemonade and fresh mint, pour into a tall glass - and off you go... The Italians have a popular hellish mixture called “Piglet Rinse” (this is when the withers ache in the morning, the entrails gurgle and the hooves become braided). To prepare it, you need to mix lemon syrup with dry white wine and sparkling water. The Germans advise making a cocktail called “The Fur of That Dog” (probably the one that bit you yesterday). It includes half a glass of any strong drink, a spoonful of cream and honey. The French refresh themselves with a mixture of brandy, lemon juice and ice cubes called “Between Two Sheets.” The Swedes suggest going to the sauna in the morning and then lying face down in a snowdrift. If our advice helped you, and when you woke up after New Year's Eve, you discovered that life is not devoid of pleasure, raise a glass to the health of our consultant and the author of this article.
Do any alcoholic drinks have a detrimental effect on vision?
You can often hear the opinion that a glass of wine or a mug of beer is not only harmless, but also healthy. The diet of some military personnel, for example, submariners, sometimes includes red wine, which they need to maintain health and improve digestion with little physical activity. Some people believe that low-alcohol drinks (beer, cocktails) are not harmful to health due to their low ethanol content. It is ethyl alcohol (C2H5OH), which is present in varying quantities in any alcohol-containing drink, including low-alcohol cocktails, that is harmful to the body.
The threat that alcohol poses to the body, which has already been discussed above, cannot be compensated by the small amount of nutrients contained in red wine or other alcoholic beverages. It is extremely unwise to perceive alcohol as a means to improve health.
It is also worth considering the fact that you can be poisoned by low-quality alcohol, which sometimes leads not only to diseases of the body and deterioration of vision, but also to death.
Is it possible to drink alcohol if you have eye diseases?
Ethyl alcohol leads to decreased immunity. During any illness, he is weakened even without drinking alcohol, so alcohol will further interfere with recovery. For various eye diseases of an infectious nature, the doctor prescribes antibiotics to the patient, which cannot be combined with alcohol. At a minimum, medications will simply be useless and will not help get rid of the disease. In the worst case, complications may arise. Sometimes the patient is prescribed alcohol-containing medications. They contain ethanol. You can even get rid of it if you want. You need to drip the medicine into hot water. Alcohol used in medicines as a preservative or solvent will evaporate immediately.
A little more massage
If the swelling has not yet subsided, massage will help you - this time just with your fingertips. Focus on key areas - the ridges of the eyes, the sides of the nose and the bottom of the cheekbones - and massage them using light pressure. This will improve blood circulation and provide drainage to the lymph nodes.
NCJ Archive - The Sunday People/Mirrorpix/Getty Images
How to restore vision after drinking alcohol?
The best prevention, of course, would be a complete abstinence from alcohol or its moderate use. However, anyone can “overdo it,” for example, during a feast, so it is useful to know how to quickly restore vision if it temporarily deteriorates. Eye drops can be used to relieve redness and dryness in the eyes. They stimulate the production of tear fluid and restore nutrition to the eye tissues.
After alcohol is completely removed from the body, the condition of the visual organs should improve. If this does not happen, you need to urgently see an ophthalmologist.
Do not forget that alcohol affects vision not only directly, but also indirectly. A drunk person has poorer spatial orientation, and the risk of falling and injury increases. It is better to give up alcohol completely or drink it in moderation, without bringing yourself to critical intoxication and unconsciousness.
