DIWALI EYE CARE

 

Diwali or Deepavali is the festival of lights celebrated all over the country with great joy. Diwali is celebrated with Pooja, Rangoli, Lighting, Sweets and mainly fire crackers. Fire Crackers are the mainstay of Diwali. Fireworks ward off the evil and also set the celebratory mood of good over evil. Fireworks represent a celebratory and symbolic farewell to the departed ancestral souls.

Fireworks are an integral part of Deepavali. Since Fire crackers are associated with chemicals, smoke, fire and explosions, we need to take extreme care while using them.

Eyes are the second most involved parts during Fireworks mishap.

Any kind of cracker injury can harm the eye, which can result in permanent vision loss if the condition is severe. There is no cracker which can be absolutely safe. The firecracker related eye damage can be due to the following effects:

a. Direct mechanical effect: The cracker hitting the eye directly causes this. The damage of the eye by a cracker depends on the velocity of the cracker or the intensity by which it hits the eye.

b. Chemical reaction in the eye due to smoke etc. Carbon, Manganese and sulfur are few poisonous chemicals associated with crackers.

c. Thermal burn: due to heat produced by the cracker.

As expected, the leading cause of injuries on Diwali is the lack of appropriate safety measures while lighting fireworks. Here are the tips to avoid eye injury during your celebrations.



1. Store fireworks in a closed box in a safe location, away from the reach of children

2. Keep fireworks away from the eyes.

3. Maintain a distance of an arm’s length while lighting firecrackers, and at least five metres while watching

4. Defuse used fireworks properly by soaking them in a bucket of water before disposal.

5. Wear Protective glasses

6. Irritation caused by smoke-emitting crackers: Protect your eyes and nose by using goggles, mask and frequent washing. This care is similar to Covid Care. Since people are already used to such precautions, it’s not difficult to use the same during fireworks.

7. Frequent hand washing.

8. Do not touch your eyes: the chemicals used may enter eyes from our hands. Just like covid care, avoid touching your face.

9. No contact lenses: Contact lenses irritate the eyes when exposed to smoke and heat, which may result in damage to eyes. Instead of contact lenses, wear spectacles.

10. Educate children about the safety.

IN CASE OF AN EYE INJURY

Immediate Ophthalmologist consultation is a must. As a first aid, follow the below:

· Don’t press or rub the eye, which will aggravate the injury.

· Don’t tie a cloth, across the eye firmly. This can cause undue pressure on the eye. Protect the eye with cotton, loosely placed over it.

· Don’t neglect any eye injury, however trivial it may look. It is always better to rule out vision threatening problems.

· If a particle is large or stuck in the eye, do not attempt to remove it

· If there is any chemical that has entered the eyes, immediately wash the eyes and eyelids with clean water for 30 minutes. In case of mechanical injuries, avoid washing.

 

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Dr. Murali Mohan Gurram is one of the very few ocular surgeons who can operate both Phaco and Vitreoretinal surgeries under Topical Anesthesia. With more than 20 years’ experience, his advice is something which you can surely rely on.

Dr. Murali Mohan Gurram is available at “SURALI CLINICS” Women and Eye Care. H. No. 12-1-86/A/149, Anand Nagar X Roads, Bandlaguda 500068,

GPS Position: 17.369639 78.573479

Call 6303476390 for appointment. Whatsapp 9848322436 for online consultation.

Email: suraliclinics@gmail.com

Website: www.suraliclinics.wixsite.com/sumathimuraligurram

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