Dr. Karina Kozina, an ophthalmologist, points out that adulterated alcoholic beverages often contain methanol, which can cause poisoning of the optic nerve.
According to her, the eyes are the first organs affected by adulterated alcohol poisoning, as symptoms such as blurred vision, faded colors, and narrowed field of vision appear.
She added that adulterated alcohol often contains methanol, which is converted in the liver to formic acid, leading to optic nerve poisoning, stressing that consuming just a few milliliters of it can cause severe poisoning.
She said: "The danger lies in delaying seeking medical help. In the first 12 to 24 hours, a person may think they are suffering from a normal headache after consuming alcohol, but the symptoms appear suddenly, and vision is the first thing affected. Blurred vision, faded colors, and a narrowing of the visual field after consuming an alcoholic beverage of questionable quality are all signs that require urgent medical intervention."
She noted that headaches, nausea, and abdominal pain may also accompany vision disturbances.
The doctor stressed that self-treatment in cases of methanol poisoning is ineffective and may be dangerous, explaining that early medical intervention allows the use of antidote and blood purification to reduce the effect of the poison, but restoring the optic nerve after it has been damaged remains impossible.
She added that the risk of poisoning increases when purchasing alcoholic beverages from unreliable sources, as they may contain industrial liquids such as windshield washer fluid, antifreeze, or homemade preparations instead of ethyl alcohol.
She concluded by saying: "If you notice blurred vision or faded colors after consuming alcohol, this could be a sign of methanol poisoning. Every hour of delay could determine the fate of your eyesight."
