It’s the July fourth holiday weekend, and fireworks will be exploding in cities across the United States. Some of you may even have your own fireworks, sparklers and bottle rockets to set a patriotic tone at your backyard barbecue. But did you know that every year thousands of people receive eye injuries from fireworks? Most of the victims are under 15 years old and are injured by bottle rockets or sparklers. A significant percentage of their injuries are permanent and cause vision loss or blindness.
Sparklers and bottle rockets may seem harmless, but sparklers are hot enough to cause third-degree burns and bottle rockets fly unpredictably through the air.
If you or a loved one does have an eye injury, don’t rub it or rinse it. Doing so could actually cause more damage. Instead, immediately cover the eye with a makeshift shield (such as a Styrofoam cup) and seek emergency medical care. For more information, take a look Prevent Blindness America’s firework information.
Oh, and don’t forget about protecting your eyes from the sun this weekend either—wear your sunglasses! Watch this video about how UV rays can damage your eyes and you can win a pair of designer sunglasses and $200 cash!
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