Fireworks Safety Awareness Week: Nearly 20% of firework-related injuries involve the eyes
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Key takeaways:
- Of 9,700 firework-related injuries treated in EDs in 2023, nearly two-thirds occurred around July 4th.
- Body parts most injured were hands and fingers (35%), followed by head, face and ears (22%) and eyes (19%).
For the fourth consecutive year, Prevent Blindness has declared June 28 to July 4 as Fireworks Safety Awareness Week, a time to educate the public about the dangers of fireworks.
“The Fourth of July should be a day spent celebrating with family and friends, not in an emergency room,” Jeff Todd, president and CEO at Prevent Blindness, said in an organization press release. “Leave the fireworks to the professionals, and remember to stay vigilant, even during authorized fireworks displays.”
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s 2023 Fireworks Annual Report, fireworks were involved in an estimated 9,700 injuries treated in EDs in 2023, 6,400 of which occurred between June 16 and July 16.
Although the hands and fingers were most often injured (35%), the report noted that the head, face and ears (22%), which include the eyelid and eye area, and the eyes (19%) were also commonly affected. Of the 1,200 eye injuries reported, 200 were burns, 400 were contusions or lacerations, and 600 were diagnosed as “other.”
In addition, adolescents aged 15 to 19 years had the highest rate of ED-treated injuries, while children aged 5 to 9 years had the second highest.
As part of its awareness campaign, Prevent Blindness has provided downloadable fact sheets and social media graphics highlighting the dangers of fireworks, which eye care professionals can access on the organization’s website.
Reference:
- 2023 Fireworks Annual Report. https://www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/2023-Fireworks-Annual-Report.pdf?VersionId=61twx_Y4c5dkn6MhfDIT7QhGg2T6Gf1q. Published June 2024. Accessed July 2, 2024.
Read more about
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts