By Dr Anand Shroff

Consultant eye surgeon, Shroff Eye Hospital 

Holi is India's festival of colours that heralds spring and harvest. It celebrates the season of hope and new beginnings in life.

But for some it is a nation-wide paint fight without guns!

From time immemorial man has been attracted to colours. Dry Holi colours known as 'Gulal' and wet colours or 'Rang' were originally prepared naturally from the flowers and vegetables.

However with time, in the quest of more long-lasting and strong colours, chemical and artificial colours are being used.

The harmful effects of these chemicals on our body and eyes have forced us to take this issue up.

The eyes are extremely susceptible during Holi because of their strategic place in the body and also because of the use of harmful chemicals in colours these days.