Birmingham Corneal Specialist Tyler Hall, M.D. of Alabama Eye & Cataract Center stressed the importance of fireworks eye safety and eye injury prevention in preparation for the upcoming July 4th celebrations and fireworks displays. “Using fireworks safely in order to prevent the risk of eye injury requires being well schooled and experienced in fireworks eye safety procedures. This often means leaving fireworks use to trained professionals rather than simply using them yourself,” commented Dr. Hall. “In fact there really is no safe way for nonprofessionals to use fireworks without taking on some risk of accidental eye injury.”
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, fireworks are involved in approximately 10,000 injuries per year that are treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms. Of those, 2/3 occurred during the one month period surrounding the July 4th holiday. It is important to note that:
· Eyes were the Second Most Commonly Injured Part of the Body!
· Males Were Injured 3x More than Females.
· Approximately 25% of Injuries are to Children under 15.
Fireworks and celebrations go together, especially during the Fourth of July. But there are precautions parents can take to prevent these injuries. The best defense against kids suffering severe eye injuries and burns is to not let kids play with any fireworks. Do not purchase, use or store fireworks of any type. Protect yourself, your family and your friends by avoiding fireworks. Attend only authorized public fireworks displays conducted by licensed operators, but be aware that even professional displays can be dangerous.
If an eye accident does occur, what should you know?
· Do not rub the eye.
· Do not attempt to rinse out the eye. This can be even more damaging than rubbing.
· Do not apply pressure to the eye itself-but protecting the eye from further contact with any item, including the child's hand.
· Do not stop for medicine! Over-the-counter pain relievers will not do much to relieve pain. Aspirin (should never be given to children) and ibuprofen can thin the blood, increasing bleeding. Take the child to the emergency room at once.
· Do not apply ointments or drops. They may not be sterile and may make the area around the eye slippery and harder for the doctor to examine.
Once you are seen in the emergency room please feel free to have them call Alabama Eye & Cataract Center at 205-930-0930 as we always have an eye doctor “on call” to provide consultation and continued care for you.
If you or someone you know would like to learn more about eye safety, fireworks injury and prevention you can reach us at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham by calling 205-930-0930, visit Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or facebook.com/michelsonlaservision so that we can help identify the possible causes and recommend an appropriate treatment plan.
Michelson Laser Vision and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center are leading eye care centers in Birmingham staffed by a team of specialists including eye doctors who are fellowship trained cornea specialists and cataract and lens implant specialists-all board certified Ophthalmologists-as well as Optometrists, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser eye surgery such as LASIK for laser vision correction, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, care for diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.
Bladeless All Laser LASIK at Michelson Laser Vision, Birmingham - Laser Cataract Surgery & Lens Implants at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center, Birmingham.
