"The use of foam books has become a common phenomenon at school graduation parties," said Dr. Naama Kuczynski Cohen, director of the Children's Emergency Department at Hillel Yaffe. "This is not the first time we have encountered dozens of young people who come in with burns to their eyes of varying severity after using foam books. Fortunately, this time the injuries were mild to moderate, but it should be noted that foam can cause more serious burns, up to irreversible damage, and therefore it is important to note that if it is used, it should be used with extreme caution, use protective glasses and do not get close to the face."
Party foam spray is an aerosol spray designed to create a lot of foam in a short time. The composition varies between manufacturers, but in many products it is based on water, surfactants that allow the creation of bubbles and foam, stabilizers, sometimes fragrances or dyes, and a compressed gas or propellant that expels the substance from the container. The main problem is that the product is sometimes marketed as an innocent festive accessory, but when sprayed from a short distance into the eyes, it may become a harmful substance. Even if the substance itself is not defined as a strong corrosive substance, direct contact with the cornea and conjunctiva, together with the pressure of the spray, may cause severe irritation, pain, tearing, redness, scratches in the cornea and sometimes a chemical burn.
The danger increases when sprays are used at mass events, when teenagers spray each other at close range and sometimes directly in the face. The substance may remain on the surface of the eye, disrupt the tear film and cause damage to the delicate epithelial layer of the cornea. In more severe cases, blurred vision, light sensitivity, corneal wounds and secondary infection may occur. In the event of foam getting into the eye, it is recommended to immediately rinse the eye with running water for several minutes, avoid rubbing the eye, remove contact lenses if present, and seek medical attention in the event of persistent pain, redness, decreased vision or a foreign body sensation. Previously published studies have described serious eye injuries from foam sprays at parties and celebrations, so the medical recommendation is to keep the spray away from the face, and to completely avoid spraying it towards the face.
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