Eye trouble? That’s ‘BANG’ ON!

A study reveals that side bangs, a hot hairstyle fad, can cause eye hazards. Avoid it for fashion's sake, warn experts to Ismat Tahseen     Let's rephrase the adage from: 'there's never a dull moment' to 'there's never a dangerous moment', especially when it comes to the world of high-octane glamour. For, everything that's able to push you up several notches on the style quotient, it can also pull you down health-wise! You have high heels that can lead to foot impairment, silicone implants that are said to be toxic, botox that also has its hazards and now, it's the turn of the side fringe or 'emo' — the hair style that almost covers one eye.      It has everyone from Hollywood hottie Nicole Richie and popstar Justin Bieber, to Amrita Arora, Bipasha Basu, Chitrangda Singh and Freida Pinto wearing the swoopy-esque trend. The stylish bangs are said to be the only hairstyle that could be a health hazard, as it is said to adversely affect one's vision. A recent buzz on a website got folks into a panic when it reported how Andrew Hogan, an associate member of Optometrist Australia, said side bangs that almost cover the eyes or obscure view, causes amblyopia, also commonly called the lazy eye syndrome.  What are the risks?  Dr Hogan explained that the hair prevents access to sunlight and when the eyes do not get sunlight, they are said to get weaker. A website reported him as saying, "If young people have bangs to cover one eye over a long time, they will not see detail clearly. If that happens from a young age, the eyes get amblyopia." While a huge debate sprang up on whether his comments were accurate, it also threw into focus other often-ignored reasons why the hairstyle is risky. Mumbai-based eye surgeon Dr Keiki Mehta says going as far as amlyopia might be a little far-fetched, but adds that wearing the hair in long side bangs can contribute to serious eye problems. "It's not a good idea to wear hair that way, because one side of the field of vision is lost, making it a safety hazard. The danger is that you may have fall over something or have an accident. It's not logical to have this just for the sake of fashion. Imagine wearing a transient patch all the time. It's like the case of a person suffering from glaucoma, which occurs because part of the field of vision is lost. Here too, you are artificially trying to obstruct the field of the eye! While the longish hair strands that get into the eye can trouble the surface of the cornea, it's worse when such hair is coated with hairsprays. It can cause long-term irritation; that's how you find people blinking away," he explains.      Adds Dr Nikhil Nasta, cataract and refractive surgeon, "As mentioned by an Australian optometrist; the Emo haircut — in which the hair is swept down to cover one eye at all times — is reported to cause a lazy eye. I would not entirely agree with this statement, yet to be on the safer side, the younger generation must especially take note and avoid these funky haircuts for long periods of time. The price you pay to be cool is clearly not worth it!"  Hair-rasing' enough?  Not really, feels actress Amrita Arora, who has worn the style for long. "Really now, there's a medical take on the side bangs as well? That's hysterical," she says, adding, "Bangs have been around forever and the minute they fall into your eyes there are ways to keep it away, so maybe people say it could hurt the eyes but it hasn't for me."  Singer Anushka Manchanda has had a spot of bother with her side bangs. "With the new 'emo' hairstyle, it's no surprise that one's vision could be impaired. I've experimented with bangs but I would pin them up more often than not. It's uncomfortable to have something in your eyes constantly," she admits. Are you ready to give this one up for health's sake?  ismat.tahseen@timesgroup.com  Nicole Richie Liv Tyler Bipasha Basu Chitrangda Singh Freida Pinto Amrita Arora Anushka Manchanda