Fireworks are considered by many to be innocent and easy to use, but in reality there is no type of firework that is safe for the eyes.
According to a survey by the Centre for Accident Research and Prevention (KEPA), seven out of ten injured children are aged 10-14 years old, mostly boys who self-injure. Of these boys, three out of ten also injure their eyes.
The Hellenic Police report that serious accidents are particularly common among minors and are mainly due to the burning of firecrackers, fireworks and improvised fireworks, although they are prohibited by law.
Fireworks are explosives and therefore capable of causing serious injury, but even if the injury is minor, it can cause serious eye damage because they are very sensitive. Research has shown that the aftermath of fireworks injuries is loss of vision for about one in 20 injured people and permanent impairment for almost 15%. In fact, the injuries include bystanders who were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Many serious eye injuries have occurred because people thought a firework was no longer active. It is correct to never touch a firework that someone has used unsuccessfully. We should inform the police or fire brigade to pick it up because there is a risk of it exploding in our hands.
Half of all eye injuries from fireworks occur to spectators, not to firework users. One in six cases the consequence of the injuries is severe loss of vision. Particularly dangerous for spectators are fireworks and firecrackers that are discharged by the user before they explode. These types of fireworks (rockets) can reach a distance of several metres from the user, with increased risks for those within range.
In the wrong hands even the most perfectly made firework can be considered extremely dangerous. It is safer to handle fireworks only professionals, who will also take the necessary measures to protect themselves and those around them.
Unfortunately, every year, especially in the days before and after the Resurrection, we experience many eye injuries due to various fireworks, especially in children and young people.
For this reason, fireworks should be used judiciously and only by experts, at organised events, with people at least 150 metres away.
