Beware of Euphorbia plants

The attractive yellow flowers of certain plants such as the donkey-tail spurge can be extremely harmful to the eyes if one is not careful, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO).

The milky sap in Euphorbia plants is a skin irritant but also can cause eye injuries and even blindness if not treated with antibiotic eye drops, the AAO said.

Diamond frost, flowering spurge, and cushion spurge fall into the Euphorbia family. Indoor plants include pencil cactus, crowns of thorns, and poinsettias as well as common weeds such as leafy spurge, according to the AAO.