"EVEN WITH NO LIGHTS.....

....we will continue to drink" Those are the famous words of those who are going blind from the consumption of illicit brew or adulterated alcohol (To me it sounds like your alcohol was cheating on you with methanol).

Before Eldoret 'Meakins', before 'Countryman', the first incidence of illicit brew that I can recall is of 'Kumi-kumi' from Mai-Mahiu. I was still in primary school (you can estimate the generation i belong in). The main thing that i also recall is that the drinkers went blind and they told the owner that even without the lights they will continue drinking. Little did they know that they had gone blind.

How did  this happen? Its a consequence of conversion of methanol to formic acid.

Follow the blue line for methanol. Don't get lost
Image not mine it belongs here

All you need to know from here is that the cells of the optic nerves are extremely sensitive to formic acid/formate and formaldehyde (products of methanol conversion) and therefore can cause blindness. That's the end.

I have extra assignment for the biochemist. Follow the links below to get to know more about the acid-base derangement and all the stuff that is of interest in terms of symptoms and clinical correlation

References and Links

Toxicology of Methanol

Clinical correlation

Goodman and Gilman's Manual of Pharmacology and Therapeutics