Moral of the story: use a proper bottle opener when drinking Corona.

Each year there are at least 40 claims for beer-related injuries lodged with ACC.

Last year, 17 beer drinkers made injury claims for accidents involving bottle tops or caps; there were 53 such claims made over the past three years, costing taxpayers $23,681.

Stuff asked ACC for the data following a recent spate of Corona bottle-opening incidents reported by Nelson Marlborough DHB. Three people were hospitalised over three weeks with eye injuries.

NMDHB Hyphaemia is when blood pools in the front of the eye. The injury can lead to lasting vision problems if not treated.

READ MORE:

* Tricky bottle-top opening leads to eye-scream headaches and ER trips

* The most dangerous vegetables in New Zealand kitchens

* Holy guacamole! Avocado injuries cost ACC $70,000 last year

The Nelson Marlborough patients reportedly adopted "non-standard opening styles" when popping the tops off their beer bottles. Projectile caps launched into their eyes caused hyphaemia, a pooling of blood in the eye, which can cause long-term damage.

Cam Loveridge-Easther and Sacha Moore, of the DHB's ophthalmology department, wrote a letter to Emergency Medicine Australasia saying they believed it was likely that "multiple similar cases" occurred throughout New Zealand. Both recommended warnings be placed on bottles.

123RF The humble beer bottle is a little more dangerous than you may have thought.

The old party trick of opening a bottle with one's teeth could be more of an issue however, with 96 ACC claims for injuries related to teeth and beer over the past three years - totalling $23,912.

Last year 31 claims were made for teeth and beer related injuries, costing $7399. ACC was unable to provide case-by-case details.