Blind eyes because peeling purple onions: Where?

According to information of the Red Cross in Vinh Chau town (Soc Trang), this area has more than 1200 blind people. In particular, not everyone suffers from birth defects, many people have broken eyes when processing onions. Onions are inherently harmless to humans, but the preservatives used are quite dangerous, especially when people do not know how to protect themselves.

Blind eyes because peeling purple onions

Mipcin insecticide

Normally, red onion for only a few weeks will be damaged, attacked by insects. For preservation, people have to incubate onion with a homemade preservative . The formula consists of 40kg of clay powder with 2-4kg of pesticide mipcin . Previously, people used DDT pesticides (Gesarol, Neocid) with high toxicity and very sustainable, harmful to humans. Later, this substance was banned so they used mipcin.

This is also a pesticide, which is allowed to be used in the removal of pests. Although less toxic than DDT, the chemical formula still contains methyl parathion, which is harmful to human nerves. When exposed to sensitive areas of the body such as thin skin, eyes, . medicines can be harmful to health. People who drink mipcin also suffer from severe health effects.

Purple onion is the main income of Vinh Chau people (Artwork: Internet)

The risk of disease

Whether DDT or mipcin, they are chemicals that are not used for food preservation. People eating or peeling onions must also be seriously affected if they do not have measures to protect themselves.

When not wearing glasses, especially during mixing medicine, dirt and medicine can attack the eyes of workers. After many days, eyes get infected and lead to loss of vision. Besides, the habit of rubbing eyes when itching is also easy to hurt eyes. Workers also cling to chalk, sweat, dust and dirt brought to their eyes to make dust more easily attack the eyes.

According to doctors, if detected early, patients can be treated, minimizing the possibility of blindness. However, people often buy and use drugs themselves, leading to corneal ulcers , very difficult to cure.

Long-term workers do not wear protective clothing and gloves, the drug can penetrate into the skin and cause harm, diseases such as dermatitis, skin burns, . even skin cancer. Inhalation of large amounts of chalk preserved, vulnerable organs, disease.

However, there are thousands of people in this town who have broken eyes because of onions with preservatives (Artwork: employees)

Pregnant women inhale a lot of preserved chalks that can harm the fetus, babies who are prone to illness, even with birth defects. In particular, many children only 4-5 years old in Vinh Chau town also work to help their parents. They are very vulnerable to toxic substances, because their body's ability to protect is too weak. At this time, the harmful effects of chalk preserved very seriously, seriously affecting their future.

Methods of protection

In order to protect people's health from the negative effects of chalk, authorities should learn new, more effective and safer onions. Besides, workers need to raise their awareness of their protection.

When workers need to wear protective clothing, wear a mask and wear eyeglasses. Absolutely do not remove the glass in any case, keep the glass clean, avoid dirt inside. At rest, wash your hands before removing the glasses. Use a clean towel to clean your eyes.

Young children and pregnant women should avoid doing this work. When there are abnormalities of the eyes, look at difficulties to quickly check up to have timely treatment.