- Design
- Prospective multicentre observational study
- Population
- 67 patients with firecracker eye injuries at 3 Indian tertiary centres
- Primary outcome
- Injury profile, visual acuity and cost
- Effect
- 62.7% children; >40% worse than 6/60; 23.9% needed surgery
A prospective study at three tertiary eye centres in Central and Western India enrolled 67 consecutive patients with firecracker eye injuries over the 2023 and 2024 Diwali periods.
89.6% were male and 62.7% were children. Two-thirds handled the firecracker themselves; a third were bystanders. Blast injury was the main mechanism (80.6%) and most were closed-globe (82.1%). Over 40% presented with vision worse than 6/60, and 23.9% needed surgery. Median time to presentation was six hours. The estimated cost averaged ₹31,500 per patient.
With Diwali in early November, this is a timely reminder. Bystanders are a third of the burden, so supervision and distance matter as much as who lights the fuse.
- Prepare emergency eye services for the Diwali period.
- Check for open globe before any pressure on the eye.
- Record visual acuity at presentation for every injury.
- Use each consultation to advise families on supervision and safe distance.
Why it matters
A predictable, seasonal and preventable cause of visual loss in children is about six weeks away.
Don't overread it
Sixty-seven patients from three tertiary centres understate the total and overrepresent severe injuries.
The statistics, in plain English
These are counts and percentages from a small series, not rates in the population. They describe who presented to tertiary care, not everyone injured.
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