To some, the Fourth of July evokes images of a long holiday weekend, family barbecues, patriotic decorations and spectacular fireworks displays.
To me, this holiday is an accumulation of accidents waiting to happen.
While some may call me a nervous Nellie, the facts speak for themselves.
July 4th has been called, "the deadliest day to drive," according to The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, probably due to the number of inebriated drivers on the road.
But equally as frightening are the fireworks statistics: Four deaths annually and 9,300 serious injuries. 40% of injuries are caused by illegal fireworks and the scariest one, 45% of injuries are incurred by kids under the age of 14. Of those total injuries, 18 percent involve the eyes, with one third or the victims incurring permanent eye damage.
As an ophthalmologist for the past 30 years, I am intimately familiar with those statistics which materialize as patients referred from the emergency rooms. While burns are the most common injury to most body parts, contusion, lacerations and foreign bodies are the most common ocular injuries.
I truly believe knowledge is power. There are ways to enjoy the full depth and breadth of the holiday without putting family and friends in harm’s way. And though you have probably heard these precautions hundreds of times, perhaps this will be the year you say to yourself #eyevaluesafety.
Here are five facts to keep you firecracker-safe on the fourth:
Professional is preferable: The safest way to enjoy the glory of a fireworks display is by attending the professional displays of patriotism. While the consumer displays are legal in many states, they are lethal. Attending a private display of consumer fireworks may seem more up, close and personal, the end result could be more personal than you expected.
Small is by no means safe: The classic sparkler may look small but they are anything but safe. And in the hands of children, they can be extremely harmful, with temperatures reaching up to 2,000 degrees. Those cute little bottle rockets account for a whopping 15 percent of fireworks-related eye injuries. That’s a large price to pay for patriotism.
Duds can be dangerous: If you think a firework is no longer active or dangerous, think again. Those unexploded fireworks can cause serious eye damage and need to be removed by a professional.
Bystanders beware: An international study found that almost half of those injured during consumer fireworks were innocent bystanders and one in six suffered severe vision loss.
Glasses are not goggles: Wearing a pair of regular or prescription glasses will not afford you any form of protection. If you do attend consumer fireworks, wear protective goggles and outfit your kids with safety glasses as well. You may not look the coolest but you will up the chances your eyes will be protected from injury.
Patriotism should not be dangerous. Let’s make the 2018 a star-spangled event by protecting all from the “rockets’ red glare.”