Eye injuries are among the most common forms of firework injuries and can include burns, bruises, cuts, and foreign bodies in the eye. Fireworks-related ocular injury is an important cause of preventable blindness worldwide. In India, firecrackers are available for use by the common people and Diwali is a festival of light and firecrackers. Hence, cracker-related ocular injuries causing irreparable damage to eyes and sometimes blindness are quite common during this week-long festival.
Some of the eye injuries caused by pyrotechnic articles are uncomplicated, affect the eyelids or the surface of the eye and, provided that no scars are left, have a relatively good prognosis. In a considerable number of cases, however, a combination of mechanical, chemical and thermal effects causes severe surface injuries, blunt eye contusions or tearing of the eyeball, which despite intensive therapy leave permanent damage after healing. These injuries are particularly dramatic when children, young people and uninvolved onlookers or passers-by are affected.
Tips for at-home firework safety:
- Always wear safety glasses.
- A responsible adult should supervise all firework activities, and fireworks should never be given to children.
- Stand at least 20 feet from where the firework is ignited.
- Always read the instructions on the packages before using fireworks.
- Always have a water bucket or water hose nearby.
What should you do if an injury occurs?
The best response to a firework injury is to seek medical attention immediately.
“The most common misconception people have is that the injury is not that serious and can wait for treatment,” “Often people will rinse their eye out with water or rub their eye, but both of these can cause further damage.”
If a foreign body gets in your eye, don’t try to take it out; leave that to the professionals.
“These injuries almost never can be adequately treated at home,”. “Secondary infections may develop if the affected eye is not properly treated with antibiotics. Removing an object from the eye is a delicate task that is only possible by viewing the eye with a microscope.”
Things NOT to do after an eye injury:
- Do not rub, rinse, or apply pressure to the eye.
- Do not try to remove any foreign bodies stuck in the eye.
- Do not take blood-thinning pain medicines, such as aspirin or ibuprofen.
- Do not stop buying medicine.
- Do not wait to get professional help.
