Foam parties are increasingly popular, but the fun may come with a price. Foam parties may cause eye irritation sufficient to impair vision and require medical treatment, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For example, more than 50 participants in a May 25 foam party at a Naples, Fla., night club sought treatment for eye injuries at local emergency rooms and other health care facilities. Although some party-goers experienced minor eye irritations, many experienced more serious injuries, the CDC notes. In all cases, injured persons reported getting foam in their face. Almost 90 percent reported rubbing their eyes after exposure to the foam. Eye irritation (94.6 percent), severe eye pain (91.1 percent), pink eye/redness (87.5 percent), decreased visual acuity (81.3 percent), and conjunctivitis (76.8 percent) were the most common injuries. Half of the cases were diagnosed with abrasions of the cornea. In 11 cases, patients' visual acuity could not be tested in at least one eye during their initial exam because they were unable to open their eye or read the first letter of the chart.
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