Fireworks Eye Safety

The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) has declared June is Fireworks Eye Safety and Cataract Awareness Month. Summer is always the right time for fireworks. With the COVID-19 coming to its end and the advancing in the numbers of vaccinated population, the time has come for people to start playing with fireworks. As lovely and fun to watch fireworks can be extremely dangerous therefore good safety measures should be considered. Eye injuries represent a significant percentage of reported injuries from fireworks.

Commercial fireworks are extremely dangerous. Pyrotechnicians are the only persons to know how to safely handle and manipulate fireworks. Injuries frequently happen to fingers, hands, faces, laps and mostly constitute burns-related injuries. Injuries can happen to bystanders passing by by accident. Children should never play with fireworks. Burns and injuries may occur from sparklers. Protective eyewear should be used and in case of any eye injury people should not rinse, rub their eyes or try to remove foreign particles instead they should seek immediate medical attention.

Precautions should include wearing protective eyeglasses, staying far from the fireworks, and it is always recommended to go to the professional displaying events rather than playing and lighting fireworks himself.