Its that time of year where people are starting to plan their 4th of July activities, which as we all know typically involve a lot of fireworks. That is why the month of June, as well as being declared as Cataract Awareness Month, is also Firework Eye Safety Month.
We tend to get carried away in the fun and excitement that fireworks bring, while forgetting that we are lighting off explosives! According to Friends for Sight, over 6,000 people visit the emergency room between the 18th of June and the 18th of July with firework related injuries. Approximately 20% of those are eye related injuries.
In support of Firework Eye Safety Month, the Fort Lauderdale Eye Institute has put together some safety precautions for you to take so that you and your family can enjoy fireworks safely while protecting your eyes.
Firework Eye Safety Tips From Fort Lauderdale Eye Institute
Whether you are watching a professional fireworks show or just lighting sparklers at your backyard barbeque with family, there are certain precautions you can take to prevent eye injury or at least decrease the risk. Taking the following tips into account will go a long way towards helping you enjoy your 4th of July festivities without any eye injuries!
Don’t Let Your Kids Play With Fireworks – The best way to prevent an eye injury from fireworks with your kids is to not let them play with fireworks in the first place. Even when using sparklers, make sure that your kids are supervised. They should also keep the sparklers at arm’s length and never swing them around or run with them.
Leave the Fireworks to the Professionals – The safest way to watch fireworks is for you to let somebody else light off the fireworks. When we say someone else, we mean a professional – as in – go to a fireworks show. We do understand that this is not going to keep people from lighting off their own fireworks in their own yard. So if you decide to do that, do it far away from everybody who is watching and wear eye protection!
View Fireworks From a Safe Distance – Provided you are not the one lighting the fireworks, you should be able to get a great view from a safe distance. 500 feet away is the recommended distance. If you are lighting the fireworks yourself (which we advise against), then this is how far away you should be from everyone else.
Do Not Touch Unexploded Fireworks – If you find a firework that has not exploded, do not pick it up or try to light it again. It could go off unexpectedly and that isn’t good for anybody. It is best to contact your local fire department and let them dispose of it.
What to Do If You Experience an Eye Injury From Fireworks?
As with any eye related injury, you’re going to want to get medical attention right away. In the meantime, do not rub the eye or attempt to rinse out the eye. You also do not want to apply pressure to the eye or any type of ointment. If you have any questions or need information on eye surgeries following an injury, call the Fort Lauderdale Eye Institute today at (954) 741-5555.
