Vodka Eyeballing Migrates From Britain To The U.S.? (WATCH)
Vodka shots not infiltrating your system fast enough? There's a solution -- drink them through your eye.
That's right. According to the UK's Daily Mail, vodka eyeballing is the newest drinking trend allegedly making its way from Britain to the U.S.
The Mail has more on its allure -- and consequences:
Devotees claim that 'vodka eyeballing' induces drunkenness faster than drinking it can, because it passes easily through the mucous membrane and enters the bloodstream directly through veins at the back of the eye, although some experts are sceptical about the claims and believe that since those who do it are usually already drunk, they simply convince themselves that it's having such an effect.
Professor Robin Touquet, consultant in emergency medicine at St Mary's Hospital, Paddington, says: 'At 40 per cent pure ethanol, vodka in the eye would create inflammation and thrombosis - clotting of the blood vessels -- such that very little alcohol would be absorbed. Unlike the stomach, the eye does not have a gastro-intestinal lining to protect it and aid absorption.
The Mail reports that the mode of alcohol ingestion has gained popularity in Vegas nightclubs. In England, it was most popular on college campuses, where some students saw lasting effects:
Melissa, who left university last summer and is now 22, believes they are right to be worried. Her constantly watering left eye has been left permanently scarred by her antics. More worryingly still, she has been warned that her eyesight may deteriorate further as she gets older.
'I'm in constant pain because of what I did,' she says. 'And I'm terrified that it will get worse. I wish I could turn the clock back and change things. But I can't.'
Not everyone sees this activity as notable, however. Gawker last week cried foul on the Mail's report:
.. the only evidence they have that actual people are doing this in significant numbers -- and that this is actually a story -- is 800 YouTube clips that come up if you search for it, and a few pop culture references. We conducted an equally rigorous journalistic examination of YouTube and found 722 clips on the topic 'punching yourself in the face'.
In support of Gawker's argument, when Jenna Johnson at the Washington Post searched "vodka eye shot" on YouTube, she found more results for another perplexing drinking game -- snorting vodka.
What do you think? Have you or someone you know tried this? Let us know in the comments section.
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First Posted: 05/24/10 03:32 PM ET Updated: 05/25/11 05:35 PM ET