Hospitals report spike in eye injuries due to crackers

On Monday, 36-year-old Vikram lit the flower pot (cracker), hoping to see a spurt of a splendid, multi-colour fountain.

But instead, Vikram was unsettled by the sudden blast of the flower pot that left him injured in the left eye. He was taken to Shankara Eye Hospital for treatment. Vikram’s wife told DH that doctors were yet to inform the family if he needs surgery or not.

Vikram was among 16 eye injury patients treated at the hospital. While all of them were minor injuries, half of the victims were children.

Meanwhile, a 22-year-old was among the patients rushed to the state-run Minto Ophthalmic Hospital, where the chances of him recovering complete vision is said to be remote. The youngster tried to light a cracker at 8 am on Tuesday at his residence in Chikka Gollarahatti (Bengaluru North) and got injured.

"This person defied the method of firing an atom bomb by placing it in an empty paint box (and lit it). When the bomb exploded, the box's cap slammed his eye; the mechanical pressure rupturing the eye globe," said Sujatha Rathod, director, Minto Ophthalmic Hospital.

The number of eye injury cases in Minto has touched 26, two of which are at a risk of permanent vision loss, according to doctors.

A 13-year-old from Mysuru Road is among those who will need surgery to treat the eye injury. He was injured when he tried to fire a rocket. A six-year-old and a 15-year-old, both boys, will not regain their eyesight, confirmed doctors treating them.

Uma, manager at Narayana Nethralaya, said the hospital received 20 eye injury cases due to fire crackers on Monday and Tuesday, confirming that the numbers witnessed a spike. "None of these are serious," she added. "They were mostly treated on OPD basis. Some have been given medication and asked to come back in a day or two. If necessary, surgery could be performed."

Most of the cases were children injured while bursting crackers, while the adults who came for treatment were bystanders.

At Modi Eye Hospital in Rajajinagar, four cases of minor injuries were reported.

Apart from injuries to the eye, some also sustained wounds to their face and arms. Four such cases were attended to at the burns ward in Victoria Hospital.