As the Fourth of July approaches, ophthalmologists at University of Iowa Health Care are reminding Iowans to celebrate safely and be mindful of the serious risk fireworks can pose to eye health.
Each year, thousands of people in the United States sustain eye injuries from fireworks—many of them children and young adults. Approximately 15% of fireworks-related injuries affect the eyes, according to data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
"People need to be extremely careful when lighting fireworks. Fireworks can cause corneal abrasions and burns, cataracts, damage the eyelids, and even rupture the eye"
Erin M. Shriver, MD
For individuals with eye injuries, the damage caused by fireworks can have devastating and permanent effects on their vision. These injuries are commonly caused by fragments, sparks, and debris propelled into the eye at high speeds.
“People need to be extremely careful when lighting fireworks. Fireworks can cause corneal abrasions and burns, cataracts, damage the eyelids, and even rupture the eye,” says Erin Shriver, MD, an ophthalmologist with UI Health Care. “Unfortunately, I have seen multiple patients who had severe ruptures of the eye, loss of vision, and ultimately required removal of the eye from fireworks.”
One of Shriver’s patients, Lisa Dickerson of Newton, Iowa, was celebrating the Fourth of July in 2019 with family and friends when a firework unexpectedly malfunctioned, setting off a series of explosions on the ground. Dickerson was hit directly in the face and burned badly. She was rushed to University of Iowa Health Care, where she had multiple surgeries. Ultimately, she lost vision in her right eye and now wears a prosthetic.
Dickerson’s story has become more common in Iowa in recent years. A 2022 study by UI researchers on the public health impact of fireworks legalization in Iowa revealed sobering results, showing a dramatic increase in injuries post-legalization. New research findings focused specifically on the clinical impact and financial toll of eye injuries post-legalization will soon be published by a UI ophthalmology research team.
“We found the incidence of eye injuries escalated significantly,” says Chau Pham, MD, FACS, an ophthalmologist with UI Health Care. Hospital and outpatient clinic costs associated with these injuries reached hundreds of thousands of dollars for several of these patients.”
UI ophthalmologists recommend the following tips to protect your eyes this Independence Day:
Never allow young children to play with or light fireworks
Keep bystanders out of the way
Don't put bottle rockets or other fireworks in metal or glass bottles
Never put a firework in your pocket after lighting it
Don't light fireworks in areas with debris or underbrush that may catch fire
Make sure the fuse or wick is long enough to avoid burns and back up a safe distance
Never place any part of your body directly over a firework device when lighting the fuse
Wear protective eye gear, such as safety glasses
Thanks to a donation from Eye on July, free safety glasses are available at the eye clinic reception desks at UI Health Care’s university campus and Iowa River Landing location, while supplies last.
The University of Iowa Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences is a national leader in patient care, research, and training. With a strong focus on innovation and excellence, the department provides comprehensive eye care services and advances the science of vision through groundbreaking research. Visit them online at eye.medicine.uiowa.edu.
