Fireworks blindness: a cooperative study of Arkansas ophthalmologists and review of fireworks regulation in the South.
Through a cooperative study, 87 ocular injuries caused by class C fireworks have been recorded in the State of Arkansas over a four-year period. The most common injuries were corneal abrasion, lid laceration or burn, and hyphema. Rockets and firecrackers caused 80% of the injuries. In over half the cases there was moderate or severe injury resulting in permanent ocular damage, visual loss, or enucleation. The fireworks issue has been reviewed, stressing the necessity of collecting additional reliable data. Safety glasses would be an effective deterrent to this type of ocular injury.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001131:Arkansas; D001753:Blast Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D001766:Blindness / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007878:Legislation as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged