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How To Avoid And Minimize Eye Damage From Fireworks The Medical Society of the State of New York advises that the best way to enjoy fireworks this Fourth of July is to watch a professional fireworks display - from a distance. Don't give fireworks to children, even older children; and don't try to dazzle children and friends by staging your own neighborhood fireworks show. Data from the United States Eye Injury Registry show that bystanders are more often injured by fireworks than those setting off the fireworks themselves, and 44 percent of the injured are children up to age 19. Despite the known risks, children and adult amateurs continue to set off fireworks, resulting in over 11,000 visits to hospital emergency rooms every year, according to Prevent Blindness America, sponsor of Fireworks Safety Month, which runs through July 4. Countless other injuries are treated outside of emergency rooms or left untreated. Although they may appear to be relatively harmless, one of the major dangers of fireworks comes from sparklers, which can heat up to 1800º F, which is hot enough to melt gold. About 25 percent of fireworks injuries requiring emergency room treatment are related to the eye. The Medical Society of the State of New York recommends the following actions to help save the sight of an injured person. +Do not delay getting medical treatment, even if the injury seems mild. Mild injuries can worsen and cause serious vision loss, even blindness, which could be prevented with prompt treatment. Stay calm and keep the injured person as calm a possible. +Do not rub the injured eye. Although rubbing is a natural response to pain, the pressure will only do more harm. In addition, if the eye tissue is torn, rubbing might push out the eye's contents and cause more damage. +Do not try to rinse out the eye. This can cause even more damage than rubbing. +Shield the eye from pressure. You can make a shield by cutting off the bottom of a clean foam cup, milk carton, or similar object and taping or otherwise securing it to the skin over the bones surrounding the eye- the bones of the eyebrow, nose, and cheek. +Avoid giving aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), such as ibuprofen, to relieve pain. These drugs can thin the blood and increase bleeding. Although acetaminophen, the ingredient in Tylenol, is a better choice, non-prescription painkillers really will not help much. +Do not apply any ointment or other medication. Ointments can make the eye area slippery and slow down the doctor's examination of the eye at a time when every second counts. The medications probably are not sterile. This information is provided by the Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY).
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