Last year’s Deepavali shattered the life of 19-year-old Jayasurya, who suffered a full thickness corneal tear with iris prolapse in his right eye apart from superficial skin burns while he was bursting crackers. He was rushed to Minto Ophthalmic Hospital but doctors could not restore his vision in one eye.
Not aware of the implications, Jayasurya - a resident of Mysuru Road - had placed an “atom bomb” in a bottle and lit it. Fragments of the cracker fell into his eye resulting in a serious injury. Along with the festive cheer that accompanies Deepavali every year, incidents of firecracker-related injuries take the sparkle out of the festival of lights. About 40% of the victims are bystanders.
Injuries range from mild irritation and corneal abrasions to more severe complications like corneal damage and open globe injuries that can lead to potential blindness. Chemical injuries result from the chemicals in the gunpowder mixed in the fireworks. Smoke can cause eye irritation, and fumes can lead to throat infections. Sparklers are particularly dangerous, burning at temperatures hot enough to melt gold, causing severe burns and injuries.
