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MU Ophthalmologist stresses fireworks safety as July fourth holiday approaches
John Cowden, M.D., chair of the department of ophthalmology at University of Missouri Health Care’s Mason Eye Institute, has seen several patients over the years in University Hospital’s emergency room with fireworks-related injuries to their eyes. “We’re still treating patients from last year,” said Cowden. “In many cases, the damage to the eye is extreme where a firework has burned or lacerated the corneal tissue and requires extensive, long-term care. The resultant injury may even necessitate a corneal transplant.” Cowden said that bottle rockets are the cause of most of the eye injuries that he treats, followed by firecrackers, pinwheels and roman candles. “In my experience, bottle rockets by far cause more injuries than any other firework,” said Cowden. “They have the potential to strike anyone as they fly through the air and then explode. As the name implies, people will sometimes place them in some sort of bottle to launch them, where they can fall down inside the bottle and explode, sending shards of glass and debris flying that can also strike the eye.” Other injuries are often caused by inappropriate use of the firework by the operator. Premature detonation of a firework thrown by hand can cause skin burns and hearing damage, along with ocular injuries. Even sparklers, which seem innocent enough, can cause injury if they are not used properly. “Many times you will see children twirl sparklers around to write their names with the afterglow of the burning white phosphorous that makes up the firework,” said Cowden. “If the end should break off as the sparkler burns, that broken-off end is now a red-hot projectile that can strike the eye or stick to the skin and cause severe burns.” Cowden recommends attending public fireworks displays instead of using home fireworks. However if fireworks are going to be a part of your Fourth of July festivities, he recommends that the user follow all directions closely and an adult be present for supervision. “If an eye injury does occur, do not try to manipulate the eye by removing debris or material that may have actually pierced the eye tissue,” said Cowden. “Instead, immediately wash the eye with cool, clean water and seek immediate medical attention at your nearest emergency department.” University Hospital and Clinics, a part of the University of Missouri Health Care system, serves patients from every county in Missouri. The 274-bed hospital specializes in treating the most severe illnesses and injuries, offering the only Level I trauma center in mid-Missouri, intensive care units and highly specialized medical and surgical services. |
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According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2004 almost 10,000 people in the United States were treated in hospital emergency rooms for fireworks-related injuries. More than two thirds of those injuries occurred in the month surrounding the July Fourth holiday, and about 40 percent of those injured were children 14 old or younger. 
