Last year, two major private eye hospitals — Sankara Nethralaya and Aravind Eye Hospitals — together treated over 500 persons for firecracker injuries. Around 10% of them had lost their vision permanently.
In view of the Deepavali festival, ophthalmologists have urged people to be cautious while lighting fireworks. People should know how to handle firecrackers, they said.
Adults should supervise children while handling fireworks. “Sixty per cent of the cases reported in Aravind Eye Hospitals pertain to children aged under 15,” Aravind Srinivasan, chief medical officer of Chennai unit of the hospital, said.
While lighting fireworks, one should wear protective eyeglasses and maintain a safe distance from the crackers, he said. If a firecracker does not ignite properly, it is better not to light it again. “Wait and then discard it safely,” Dr. Aravind added.
In case of an eye injury, it is necessary to visit an eye hospital at the earliest instead of rinsing or rubbing the eye, he further said.
In 2023, the hospital’s branches across the State treated 456 persons for firecracker injuries. Among them, 45 lost their vision permanently, the hospital’s data revealed.
‘Limit purchase’
T.S. Surendran, consultant paediatric ophthalmologist and chairman of Sankara Nethralaya, suggested that people “limit the purchase of firecrackers to a minimum to encourage the labour, but also help avoid pollution.”
He calls for buying age-appropriate fireworks for children from reputed companies. After lighting fireworks, people must wash their hands and legs. In case of burns, wash the injured area and bandage it with gauze, he added. “In case of an injury to the eye, depending on the symptoms, approach the emergency room of the eye hospital,” he added.
Self-medication for any type of firecracker injury must be avoided. Even pain-killers will have side effects. Last year, the hospital treated 64 eye injures, of which four were major, Dr. Surendran said.
Rajiv Raman, Senior Consultant, Vitreoretinal Services, Sankara Nethralaya, said that in the event of an eye injury, “do not rub or apply pressure to your eyes. Avoid rinsing your eyes with anything other than water, in case of chemical injury. Gently cover the injured eye with a convex shield or a clean ice cream cup, and avoid applying any ointment or drop, as they may not be sterile”.
The gold standard is of course to seek attention as soon as possible from an ophthalmologist.
Published – October 31, 2024 02:47 am IST
