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Fireworks Eye Safety

Fireworks and celebrations often go together here in the United States, especially during the Fourth of July. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, fireworks were involved in an estimated 11,100 injuries treated in 2016 (the latest year for which data is available). 68 percent of that total was treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments surrounding the 4th of July period.

The Prevent Blindness organization has reported the following sobering statistics:

  • 31% of fireworks injuries were to children under age 15.
  • Males accounted for 61% of fireworks injuries.
  • Young adults 20 to 24 years of age had the highest estimated rate of emergency department-treated, fireworks-related injuries. Children younger than 5 years of age had the second highest estimated rate.
  • The parts of the body most often injured were hands and fingers (an estimated 33 percent); head, face, and ears (an estimated 20 percent); legs (an estimated 18 percent); eyes (an estimated 9 percent); and arms (an estimated 8 percent).
  • Sixty-nine percent of the emergency department-treated injuries were burns. Burns were the most common injury to all parts of the body, except the eyes, where contusions, lacerations, and foreign bodies in the eyes occurred more frequently
  • There were 4 reported fireworks-related deaths in 2016.
  • Those injured by fireworks are not necessarily handling the explosives themselves. In fact, nearly half of people injured by fireworks are bystanders

For those who attend professional fireworks displays and/or live in communities surrounding the shows, there are several suggestions to ensure one’s safety. One should respect safety barriers at fireworks shows and view fireworks from at least 500 feet away. Be sure to not touch unexploded fireworks and keep your children away from them. Instead, immediately contact local fire or police departments to help and remove the items. Above all, do not let your child play with fireworks, even if his/her friends are setting them off. Sparklers burn at 1800 degrees Fahrenheit, and bottle rockets can stray off course or throw shrapnel when they explode.

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, if an eye injury from fireworks occurs, remember the following:

  • Seek medical attention immediately.
  • Do not rub your eyes. Rubbing the eye may increase bleeding or make the injury worse.
  • Do not apply pressure to the eye itself. Holding or taping a foam cup or the bottom of a juice carton to the eye is an important tip to remember. Protecting the eye from further contact with any item, including the child’s hand, is the goal.
  • Do not remove any objects that are stuck in the eye. There may be an opening or hole in the eye and the object should be removed under sterile conditions by the ophthalmologist.
  • Do not apply ointments. Ointment, which may not be sterile, makes the area around the eye slippery and harder for the doctor to examine.
  • Do not take any blood-thinning pain medications such as aspirin or ibuprofen. Over-the-counter pain relievers will not do much to relieve pain. Aspirin (should never be given to children) and ibuprofen can thin the blood, increasing bleeding. Take the child to the emergency room at once – this is more important than stopping for a pain reliever.

Fireworks are fun to watch and an exciting way to celebrate various holidays. However, we must keep in mind the inherent dangers involved and leave the responsibilities of putting on a show with the trained professionals.