Fireworks Cause More Harm than Good

Every year, more than 12,000 eye injuries are caused by fireworks. Fireworks can rupture, burn, cut, scrape and severely bruise the eye, as well as facial areas surrounding the eye. Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary (MEEI) physicians are reminding people to make eye safety a priority if they are going to use or view fireworks.

Fireworks Eye-related Injuries

(Statistics gathered from the American Academy of Ophthalmology)

• Eighteen percent of fireworks injuries involve the eye.
• Children, 16 years and younger account for 60 percent of all fireworks injuries each year in the United States.
• As many as 400 Americans lose vision in one or both eyes due to fireworks injuries.
• Bottle rockets are the most dangerous. The rockets fly erratically and the bottles or cans used to launch the rockets can explode, showering fragments of glass or metal, often resulting in bystander injuries.
• For children under the age of five, sparklers account for one third of all fireworks injuries.

What to Do If an Eye Injury Occurs

• Do not try to remove any protruding objects from the eye.
• Flush the eye with water to remove any particles that are present.
• Cover the eye loosely for comfort and seek immediate medical attention.

MEEI’s Eye Trauma Service provides specialized care to patients who have suffered severe and extensive eye injuries. The Eye Trauma Service is open 24-hours a day, seven days a week. For more information, contact the Eye Trauma Service at 617-573-3022.

page updated: 6/28/05