Deepavali a tad safer, fewer eye injuries this year

Deepavali in Bengaluru this year was a tad safer compared with 2017.

Minto Ophthalmic Hospital, the primary government-run eye hospital in the city, has seen 32 patients with eye injuries in the four days of Deepavali this year, as against 45 cases in 2017. Three patients suffered serious eye injuries this year, partially losing vision.

Mounesh Achar, of Laggere, is being treated for a firecracker-related
eye injury at Minto Ophthalmic Hospital on Friday. DH PHOTOS/ANAN BAKSHI

Dr B L Sujatha, the hospital's medical director, notes a definite dip in the number of cases and gives credit to awareness campaigns. "Not just Bengaluru, we get patients with eye injuries from other places, too," she said. "We are still trying to find out if patients had visited other hospitals for first aid before coming to us. A clear picture about this year's eye injury cases will emerge after a week."

Narayana Nethralaya, a prominent eye hospital chain in the city, has so far seen 38 cases of eye injury, most of them being minor. The number could rise because patients initially go to nearby clinics before coming to bigger hospitals if their condition doesn't improve. Some patients might still turn up in the next few days, the hospital said.