1. Crash and Burn: Ocular Injuries due to Fireworks.
- Author
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Patel, Ravija and Mukherjee, Bipasha
- Subjects
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OCULAR injuries , *FIREWORK accidents , *EYE care , *AUTUMN festivals , *DIVALI , *HOLIDAYS , *LONGITUDINAL method , *DISEASE incidence , *BLAST injuries - Abstract
Purpose: To identify the patterns of ocular injury and to determine ocular morbidity resulting from the use of firecrackers.Methods: A prospective observational study of all patients presenting with ocular trauma consequent to fireworks usage in a tertiary eye care center in South India over a one-month period around the autumn festival of Diwali. We also reviewed the published literature from around the world reporting ocular injuries due to firecrackers.Result: 49 patients were included in the study, out of which the vast majority (40/81%) were males. The mean age was 17 years. Almost an equal number of bystanders (24/48.9%) was affected as compared to people handling the fireworks (25/51%). 13 (26.53%) patients had open-globe injury whereas 33 (67.34%) patients had closed-globe injury. Twenty-two (44.8%) patients underwent surgical intervention. Eighteen (36.7%) patients had final vision less then 20/40 (range = 20/50 to No Perception of Light) with eight patients having no perception of light in the affected eye.Conclusion: Unregulated use of firecrackers can lead to significant ocular morbidity, mainly involving children, young males, and even innocent bystanders. A combination of public awareness and appropriate legislative laws should be formulated regarding the use of fireworks to decrease the load of needless blindness on society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2016
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