Fireworks Injuries and Eye Health

Many celebrate the 4th of July with sparklers and fireworks as a family tradition. In some areas, it’s hard to get to sleep at night because firework celebrations last until the early hours of the morning. Did you know that more than 7,000 people stay up late for a different reason that night? Thousands of people spend the night of July 4th in the emergency room because of injury to themselves or their child due to fireworks, according to data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Hospitals even staff extra employees during the holiday to accommodate the influx in patients.

Can you guess one of the body parts commonly injured during these fireworks injuries? It’s your eyes.

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmologists, nearly 20% of all fireworks injuries affect the eyes. Explosions too close to one’s face can rupture the actual globe of the eye, burn one’s eye(s), cause retinal detachment or corneal abrasions. Eye-related fireworks injuries are very serious, causing vision loss or even blindness.

If you want to celebrate with a bang, keep your festivities safe by following these rules:

• Everyone who handles the sparklers or fireworks wears protective eyewear.

  Regular reading glasses or everyday eyeglasses don’t count. Safety glasses are your best bet, especially ones designed not to shatter and shield the eyes from injury. Any bystanders (anyone within five hundred feet of where the fireworks are being lit) should also wear protective eyewear.

• Never let children touch or play with fireworks.

  It’s too dangerous, no matter how curious they are.

• Avoid professional grade fireworks.

  Watch a show put on by professionals if you really want to see professional grade fireworks. It’s dangerous to use explosives of this grade without the proper training. Leave the fancy effects to people who are equipped and knowledgeable about the safe handling of these fireworks.

• Seek medical help immediately for any type of fireworks-related eye injury.

  Don’t wait and see if it feels better in the morning. Don’t rub your eyes. Don’t try to treat it at home. Go get help – your vision may be at stake if you wait.