Eye Injuries Due to Fireworks: Learn the Dangers

 

Eye Injuries Due to Fireworks

Happy! It’s that time of year again. Families and friends gather together to celebrate our Day.  Most of us are excited to be outside grilling, playing games, and of course, shooting off fireworks.  While it’s a big weekend for cabins all across the United States, it’s also a busy one for emergency rooms with a number of eye injuries due to fireworks.

We all think that this will never happen to us, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take extra precautions when working with fireworks.  The easiest way to stay safe is to leave lighting them to the professionals.  Many cities have large displays you can watch from a safe distance.  Never hold fireworks, especially children.  Their arms are too short to even hold sparklers.  Point fireworks away from buildings, brush, and leaves.  Always be aware of your surroundings when lighting them.

Damage to the eye from fireworks can be devastating.  It could be even a small piece of debris from a firework that lands in the eye that can send you to the emergency room.  Other more serious injuries can leave you completely blind.

Firework statistics to keep in mind when lighting them off this weekend:

  • Fireworks cause an estimated 10,500 injuries each year, of which 7,000 are surrounding the 4th of July holiday and were treated in the ER
  • 19% of those are EYE RELATED!
  • 1,400 were from sparklers alone
  • 74% involved males
  • 40% were to children under 15

If you find yourself or someone else injured by a firework, please do not rub the eye. Please see an eye care professional.  Have a safe 4th of July holiday!

Below are a couple links to firework injuries:

Firecracker Explodes in Man’s Face

Beware of Fireworks

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