4thof July is such a fun holiday to look forward to every year. Festivities seem to begin during the day with barbeques and swimming, but we can all agree the best part happens when the sun goes down – fireworks!! Fireworks can be very dangerous and result in thousands of injuries every year which include eye injuries. I have rounded up four ways to keep your eyes safe this 4thof July:
If attending a public fireworks display:
1. View from a distance!!
Leaving the fireworks to the professionals to take care of is a great idea. However, it’s important to remember to watch from a distance. It is said that a large percentage of injuries happen to bystanders. So stay safe even when you’re not the one in handling.
Using purchased fireworks:
2. Wear Eye Protection!
These fireworks are a 4thof July tradition! However, handling fireworks yourself comes with great danger. It is so important to always wear safety glasses since these fireworks contain many chemicals that can damage your eyes dramatically. Even if you’re wearing this protection, it’s important to remember to NEVER touch unexploded firework remains.
3. Don’t let kids play with fireworks
As much as they want to play with them, it’s important to keep them safe from potential injury. One of children’s favorite to play with are sparklers. However, these can reach temperatures of up to 2000 degrees Fahrenheit! So stay aware.
4. After handling… wash your hands!
As mentioned earlier, these fireworks contain many chemicals that can seriously injur the eye. Washing off your hands will prevent any of the residue to come in contact with your eyes.
5. Keep a bucket of water handy
After the use of sparklers or other fireworks, keep a bucket of water close by to dispose the aftermath materials. This will insure that there are not any extra sparks around and that flames are properly distinguished to minimize the chance of burns.
If injury does happen… SEEK HELP IMMEDITATELY! Additionally, do not rub, rinse out, apply pressure or apply any sort of ointment to your eyes. These steps can potentially save your vision! So this 4thof July keep these tips in mind to keep you and your families safe from eye injury!
