Nearly 43% of people who suffered firecracker-related eye injuries this Deepavali were not even bursting crackers. Children bore the brunt, accounting for 834 cases (57%), while 637 were boys.
Madurai : Watching firecrackers from a distance or simply walking past celebrations proved costly for hundreds this Diwali , as four in 10 patients were treated for firecracker-related eye injuries. A preliminary analysis by Aravind Eye Care System found that 624 people suffered eye injuries while watching firecrackers or passing by. They accounted for 42.6% of the 1,464 patients treated across its hospitals between November 4 and 9. Of them, 489 were spectators and 135 were passersby. More than half the patients were below 18, with those aged six to 12 emerging as the most vulnerable group. Boys accounted for 637 cases, highlighting the risks children face during celebrations, whether handling crackers or being nearby when they explode. Doctors recorded 345 cases involving damage to the cornea’s outer surface, besides internal bleeding, inflammation and injuries to the eyeball.
However, the hospital said the findings were preliminary, with the number of patients requiring surgery or facing permanent vision loss yet to be established. Children bore the greatest burden. The injuries ranged from scratches on the eye’s surface to potentially blinding trauma. Some patients suffered retinal damage, perforated eyeballs and traumatic cataracts.