We just celebrated July 4th, 2021, and this is a period where there are many eye injuries due to fireworks. July is National Eye Injury Prevention Month designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Accidental eye injury is one of the leading causes of visual impairment in the United States and during July 4th celebration many accidents occur. Approximately 35% of the total injuries are due to fireworks and have been children. In addition, surprisingly 65% of the injuries reported are of people who were not handling the fireworks themselves but became a victim of it. Around 60% of the victims of these injuries were bystanders. Also, it is common sense to think that usually children do not handle fireworks and they can only come in the way of serious misfortunes. It has been estimated that approximately one million eye injuries occur each year in the United States and fireworks are one of the leading causes of eye injuries. We can protect ourselves and loved ones:
- Wear eye protection to protect yourself from serious eye injuries by taking a few simple precautions.
- When working in a workshop or doing work outside, working on your car or other equipment, and working with chemicals wear safety goggles.
- During sports and recreational activities always wear appropriate protective eyewear.
If you get an eye injury, contact your doctor immediately. Any foreign items wedged in the eye are emergencies and need urgent attention. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that you contact your Eye M.D. or emergency department immediately if the following occurs:
- Cuts, chemical burns, or foreign bodies stuck in the eye are emergencies.
- A black eye, pain, or visual problem occurs after a blow: A seemingly light blow can cause a serious eye injury. If a contact
- A chemical burn to the eye, flush the eye with clean water and seek emergency medical treatment immediately.
Summer is here and we all are excited to be outside and engaged with the activities that come with the summer months. However, it is imperative that we “Keep an eye out for safety and don’t be blinded by bad habits” (Shot Slogan).