Severe eye injuries from crackers on Diwali, vision at risk for many including infants

During Diwali celebrations in Bengaluru, several people have suffered severe eye injuries, leaving some patients at risk of partial or complete loss of vision. The victims include many children, including infants aged three and five months. Surprisingly, a large proportion of the injured were those who were not bursting crackers themselves but were standing nearby watching.

According to a report by The Hindu, 20 patients were treated at the government Minto Ophthalmic Hospital over three days up to November 9, of whom 12 had severe injuries. Among these 20 patients, 13 were mere spectators watching others burst crackers, while the remaining 7 were injured while bursting crackers themselves. These patients included 10 men, 2 women, and 8 children. A 12-year-old boy from Doddaballapur suffered a globe rupture in his eye because a cracker burst by another person hit him, putting him at risk of partial vision loss. Eight patients at this hospital had minor injuries, while 12 had severe injuries. Four patients have been admitted, two of whom require surgery. Doctors stated that the exact extent of vision loss can only be determined after 3 to 6 months.

Regarding the causes of the injuries, doctors said 6 people were injured by 'bijli' crackers, while 5 patients could not identify which cracker caused the injury. In other cases, phuljhadi, bombs, Lakshmi crackers, and rockets were responsible.

At the Rajajinagar, Bommasandra, Bannerghatta Road, and Whitefield centres of Narayana Nethralaya, 60 patients were registered between November 6 and 9. This included 30 children under the age of 18 and 15 spectators. One patient here had to undergo surgery, while others received medical treatment. Naren Shetty, Director of the Rajajinagar centre, expressed concern over the high number of children among the injured and advised parents to supervise children and maintain a safe distance while bursting crackers.

According to records from Sankara Eye Hospital, 26 patients aged between 3 months and 46 years were registered by November 9, including infants aged three and five months. Thermal and chemical burns, blunt trauma, corneal abrasions, and eyelid injuries were commonly observed here. One patient suffered a globe rupture, necessitating evisceration and orbital implant placement.

At Netradham Super Speciality Eye Hospital, a 9-year-old boy arrived who had been standing in a park when a cracker exploded near him, injuring his right eye. According to hospital surgeon Raksha Jagdishprasad Vaishnav, when the child was brought to the hospital within 10 to 15 minutes, his vision was limited to only seeing hand movements. Examination revealed hyphema (bleeding inside the eye) and increased intraocular pressure. Due to timely treatment, he is now feeling better; otherwise, there was a risk of permanent vision loss.

Doctors have warned that most eye injuries caused by crackers are preventable. Children should not be allowed to burst crackers without adult supervision. Those bursting crackers and bystanders should wear shatter-resistant glasses. One should not burst crackers by holding them in the hand or attempt to relight unburst crackers. If an eye injury occurs, it should not be rubbed, pressed, or treated with home remedies.