A doctor has explained how some farts could affect eyesight after a TikTok user claimed to have gone 'blind for three minutes'.
When he's not performing cosmetic procedures, author, YouTuber and board certified plastic surgeon Anthony Youn spends time sharing insights into all things medical on TikTok, discussing everything from bizarre trends to useful advice.
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On one occasion the doctor received a comment from a follower who claimed they had 'once farted so hard [they] went blind for three minutes', and whether satirical or not, Youn decided to run with it.
See his response below:
Youn began his video by stressing that going blind as a result of a fart is 'very unlikely' - so please don't feel like you need to start holding everything in for the sake of 20/20 vision. However, the doctor went on to explain that if the gas you pass is 'extremely pungent', it could contain 'large amounts of hydrogen sulfide'.
He continued: 'Studies show that hydrogen sulfide is very efficient in reducing blood pressure, and if it reduces blood pressure to your central retinal artery your silent but deadly toot could theoretically make you go blind. So be careful if you're making a lot of bubbles in your bathtub.'
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There seems to be little information out on the web about direct links between farting and blindness, though there is plenty of speculation around exactly how dangerous farts can be.
For example, I'm sure lots of people will have heard the warning that farting on someone's pillow or near someone's face could cause pink eye – especially if you grew up with an older sibling who enjoyed using such activities as a pastime.
As it turns out, though, farts don't generally seem to be that dangerous. In 2017, doctor of optometry Dr. Amir Mozavi pointed out in an article that flatulence, aka farting, is primarily methane gas, and that methane gas doesn’t contain bacteria. Plus, any bacteria that might be present in the fart would die quickly once outside the body, meaning 'you cannot get pink eye from a fart'.
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When it comes to the notion of potentially deadly farts, howstuffworks cites a 2001 study that considered the difference in farting through clothing as opposed to straight into the air.
While farting through clothing was found to result in no bacteria, farting through nothing resulted in the presence of bacteria similar to those found on our skin and in our gut. Notably, this bacteria wasn't harmful.
So there you have it – your farts might not be pleasant, but chances are they won't hurt anything but your nostrils.
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Emily Brown