Protect Your Eyes and Family and Have A Safe 4th of July
Posted by GSDispatch Editor in by Orson Eye Care, Health
Independence Day is a wonderful holiday to spend with family and friends enjoying the sights and sounds of fireworks. Each year over the holiday, though, thousands of adults and children are seriously injured as a result of fireworks and pyrotechnic devices. Many burns and injuries affect eyesight, permanently damaging and in some cases blinding the victims.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), an estimated 20-25 percent of fireworks injuries are to the eyes. Most of these eye injuries were contusions and lacerations. About two-thirds of the fireworks-related injuries were burns, and most of the burns involved the hands, eyes and head/face.
About 45 percent of persons injured were children ages 14 years and younger. Children ages 5-9 years have the highest injury rate for fireworks-related injuries. Most injuries involved firecrackers, rockets, and sparklers.
Believe it or not, sparklers are the highest cause of fireworks injuries for children under five requiring trips to the emergency room. Sparklers can easily burn skin or ignite clothes since they heat up to 1000 degrees F.
And, surprising to many, bystanders at home displays are not safe from injury. Data from the United States Eye Injury Registry shows that bystanders are injured by fireworks one-half of the time.
This 4th of July, enjoy the professional displays in the area, and be safe when enjoying the back yard fireworks shows.
Dr. David Orson is the optometrist in southern Lee’s Summit whose office is located at 3536 SW Market St. off 150 Highway behind the Quik Trip and next door to Subway. He provides comprehensive eye care and can be reached at 537-0011. He has lived in Greenwood and southern Lee’s Summit for the past 11 years.
