Fourth of July Fireworks Eye Safety

 

Every Fourth of July, families, friends, and communities come together throughout the country to view firework displays. And every year, we encourage the public to leave the fireworks to the professionals and go to a public display. We remind the patients that consumer fireworks are dangerous both to those who set them off and to bystanders. Here are the facts:

·        The US Consumer Product Safety Commission reported 10,000 injuries and 12 firework-related deaths in 2019.

·        A 2017 study showed that 65 percent of people injured by fireworks are bystanders.

·        An April 2020 study in JAMA Ophthalmology, showed that an estimated 34,548 firework-related eye injuries occurred between 1999 and 2017, with approximately 65 percent occurring in children. The most common injuries were ocular burns, ocular foreign body, and conjunctival irritation. Most injuries occurred at home (75 percent) with consumer use of fireworks during the 4th of July. Although all types of consumer fireworks are dangerous, bottle rockets caused the most severe injuries, such as ruptured globes.

There is significant variability among state and county laws regarding the use of consumer fireworks. Setting off fireworks at home is illegal in some states. For people in states in which it’s legal, here’s how to make sure your backyard celebration doesn’t end in the ER:

·        Don't pick up duds and misfires: Fireworks nearly cost an Ohio firefighter his sight. He took all the right precautions for his backyard Fourth of July fireworks celebration. But a split-second decision to inspect a "dud" was almost fatal.

·        Supervise children closely: Sparklers seem like harmless fun for the kids, but they are responsible for about 1,400 eye injuries each year. Even those tiny poppers or snappers can pose dangers.

·        Wear protective eyewear: Ophthalmologists recommend American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-approved protective eyewear. Stop by any hardware store and pick up some safety glasses for the entire family.

If you or someone you know experiences a fireworks injury please schedule an appointment at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham at 205-930-0930, visit Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or Facebook.

Alabama Eye & Cataract Center is a leading eye care center in Birmingham located at UAB-Highlands, 1201 11th Avenue S, Suite 501, Birmingham, Alabama 35205 and staffed by UAB Medicine eye doctors and eye specialists.

Durysta Implant for Glaucoma

 

In order to maintain the best control of glaucoma and prevent vision loss, many patients with glaucoma must be quite consistent in their use of eye drops to maintain the proper eye pressure or Intraocular Pressure (IOP). For many, glaucoma laser treatment is often helpful in reducing or eliminating glaucoma eye drops but for others eye drop use is part of their daily routine several times each day. Recently a microscopic implant containing a glaucoma eye pressure medication was FDA approved to help glaucoma patients improve their quality of life by reducing the need for eye drops as well as ensuring better consistency and compliance and thus an exciting option for lowering IOP in the treatment of glaucoma and a step in the right direction to reducing blindness related to this common disease.

If you or someone you know is being treated for glaucoma with eye drops, please schedule a glaucoma eye exam and ask about options for glaucoma treatment to help reduce the need for daily eye drops. Please call us at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham at 205-930-0930, visit Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or Facebook.

Alabama Eye & Cataract Center is a leading eye care center in Birmingham located at UAB-Highlands, 1201 11th Avenue S, Suite 501, Birmingham, Alabama 35205 and staffed by UAB Medicine eye doctors and eye specialists.

The MLV LASIK Walk & Talk

 

“I did my research and made my decision to have my eye surgery done by the man who was the first to perform PRK and LASIK in Alabama. Honor and your word mean a lot to me and Michelson Laser Vision has honored everything they said they would do so far. Dr. Michelson exudes confidence because he can walk the walk of what I read up on him. He has also surrounded himself with an extremely professional staff that shares those same values. I am very thankful to be in the care of Dr. Michelson's knowledge, skill, experience, and staff.”-Joseph A.

If you or some you know is tired of the hassle of glasses or contact lenses for seeing at distance and would like to find out if LASIK might be a good vision correction option, please call Michelson Laser Vision, Inc. in Birmingham at 205-969-8100, visit Michelson Laser Vision, or www.facebook.com/michelsonlaservision.

Michelson Laser Vision, Inc. is a leading LASIK center in Birmingham located at UAB-Highlands, 1201 11th Avenue S, Suite 501, Birmingham, Alabama 35205 and staffed by UAB Medicine eye doctors and eye specialists.