Children make up nearly half of Deepavali eye injury cases at a Hyderabad hospital

Nearly half of the patients treated for firecracker-related eye injuries over Deepavali at a Hyderabad hospital were children.

Injury Numbers And Patient Details

Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital received 60 patients over the two festival days of November 7 and 8. Among them, 29 were children and 31 were adults. Ten patients were admitted to the hospital, including nine-year-old Mokshit who travelled from Bhadrachalam after a firecracker fragment struck his eye.

Medical Treatment And Types Of Fireworks

Dr. Modini Pandharpurkar, Superintendent of the hospital, stated that 21 patients sustained grievous injuries while 39 had simple injuries. Eight of the admitted patients are scheduled for surgery, and two will undergo an emergency examination under anesthesia. Several injured individuals were innocent bystanders who got hurt while standing near fireworks or walking on roads. The injuries were caused by a range of firecrackers including rockets, bullet bombs, and mirchi bombs.

Context

Festive celebrations involving firecrackers frequently lead to a surge in burn and eye injuries across hospitals in India. Public health officials and doctors regularly issue safety warnings and advise precautions during major festivals like Deepavali to prevent such incidents.