Diwali is around the corner and preparations are in full swing everywhere. While the festival of lights brings a lot of joy and happiness in our lives, it's also brings its share of accidents and mishaps. While we are all familiar with burns and small fires due to fireworks, a more common and serious problem is eye injuries for the same reason.
Year after year, thousands of children and their family members suffer from eye injuries caused by crackers bursting too soon or too close to the eye. Quite often, the injured are innocent bystanders and are not the people bursting the crackers. Fireworks can cause serious and sometimes irreversible damage to the eye. Chemical and thermal burns caused by fireworks can rupture the globe of the eye or cause corneal abrasions or retinal detachment.
How to prevent eye injuries due to fireworks...
What to do when an eye injury from fireworks occurs?
Eye injuries are a lot more common than we are aware. Every year, hundreds of Indians meet an ophthalmologist for injuries sustained in their eye(s). Interestingly, most of these injuries happen at home, while cooking, cleaning, doing yard work or undertaking minor repairs. The rest of the injuries happen at the workplace.
The best way to safeguard oneself against eye injuries is to use protective eyewear. There is a whole range of safety glasses and sports glasses that are available in the market today from leading brands. They come in various shapes, sizes, colours and price ranges.
Here are some guidelines on what to do when an injury happens, depending on the cause of the injury.
One of the most common causes of eye injury is foreign objects hitting or falling into the eyes. In such an eventuality,
Puncture caused by objects pricking the eyes directly
Black Eye or eye swelling caused by impact, and accidents
Household or Industrial chemicals
Disinfectants and common household chemicals can also be damaging if they fall into the eyes. So also, if you work at a factory or workshop where you routinely handle chemicals, there is danger from chemicals falling into your eyes, or their vapours getting into your eyes. If such a thing happens:
Sunburn or exposure to the sun
Continuous exposure to harsh sunlight can cause minor injuries and slight impairment of vision. This can be easily avoided by wearing sunglasses or any protective eyewear while going out in the sun, even if it's cloudy weather. If you suspect your eyes are sunburned,
Eye injuries can happen a lot easier than you think. In case of an injury, avoid self-medication and consult a doctor immediately. Prevention is better than cure, so take utmost care of your eyes by using protective eyewear. End of the day, remember, you have only one pair of eyes!
Article by Dr. B.S. Anil Chandra, MS (Oph)
Senior Consultant Phaco and Refractive Surgeon
Kauvery Hospital