NY Eye Doctor on Fireworks Eye Injury Prevention

NY eye doctor Andreas Wolter, M.D. alerted July 4th holiday celebrants that fireworks eye safety should be top of mind in enjoying the festivities with family and friends. Dr. Wolter cautioned patients, “While enjoy the fireworks this July 4th, it’s best to leave their use and display to professionals trained in there safe use. Eye safety is pretty critical with fireworks displays. Eye injuries are the second most frequent injury we see from the emergency room each July 4th weekend,” said Dr. Wolter.

Around the Fourth of July, fireworks and celebrations often go together. There are precautions everyone can take to prevent eye injuries. The best defense against kids suffering severe eye injuries and burns is to not let kids play with any fireworks. Do not purchase, use or store fireworks of any type. Protect yourself, your family and your friends by avoiding fireworks. Attend only authorized public fireworks displays conducted by licensed operators, but be aware that even professional displays can be dangerous. However, if an eye accident does occur, there are a few things you should know:

• Do not rub the eye.
• Do not attempt to rinse out the eye. This can be even more damaging than rubbing.
• Do not apply pressure to the eye itself-but protecting the eye from further contact with any item, including the person’s hand.
• Do not stop for medicine! Over-the-counter pain relievers will not do much to relieve pain. Aspirin (should never be given to children) and ibuprofen can thin the blood, increasing bleeding. Take the person to the emergency room at once.
• Do not apply ointments or drops. They may not be sterile and may make the area around the eye slippery and harder for the doctor to examine.

Once you are seen in the emergency room please feel free to have them call Seeta Eye Centers as we always have an eye doctor “on call” to provide consultation and continued care for you.

 

If you or someone you know has questions about fireworks eye safety and eye injuries please feel free to call Seeta Eye Centers and schedule an eye examination by calling 845-454-1025, visiting Seeta Eye Centers or facebook.com/seetaeyecenters.

 

Seeta Eye Centers is conveniently located for patients from Westchester County, Rockland County and throughout the Hudson Valley, Dutchess County and Orange County including Poughkeepsie, Fishkill, Middletown, Kingston, New Paltz, Newburgh, Beacon, Bedford, Catskill, Cornwall, Eastchester, Ellenville, Florida, Goshen, Harriman, Harrison, Highland, Highland Falls, Kerhonkson, Mahopac, Monroe, Montgomery, Mount Kisco, New Rochelle, New City, Scarsdale, Saugerties, Spring Valley, Tarrytown, West Point, White Plains, Woodstock, Yorktown Heights and Yonkers, NY.