Eye injuries caused by New Year's Eve fireworks Every second affected person is only a spectator

New Year's Eve: Eye injuries from rockets and guns

At the turn of the year, millions of rockets and boulders will be detonated. And like every year, the fireworks on New Year's Eve will cause many injuries. As studies have shown, often uninvolved persons are affected.

Dangers from legal firecrackers

Millions of people in Germany will welcome the New Year on the New Year's Eve with rockets and bollards. Like every year, doctors at the turn of the year warn of the dangers of New Year's Eve fireworks. What many do not consider: Not only self-built and unauthorized explosive devices, but also legal bangers, represent an enormous risk. Endangered are, among other things, the eyes.

New Year's Eve fireworks every year cause hundreds of eye injuries. Affected are often uninvolved persons. (Image: skatzenberger / fotolia.com)

Eye injuries due to pyrotechnics

As reported by the DOG - German Ophthalmological Society in a communication, in the days and nights around New Year's Eve 2016 and 2017, more than 800 eye injuries were reported by German eye clinics through pyrotechnics.

According to the information, half of those affected did not detonate the responsible bangers themselves, but were only passersby or spectators.

The DOG - German Ophthalmological Society therefore calls again for a more responsible use of rockets and Böllern on: According to the experts, fireworks belong in the hands of trained professionals.

Many children and adolescents affected

According to the information, almost 40 percent of the people who presented themselves at an eye clinic at the turn of the year were children or adolescents aged one to 17 years.

About 60 percent of patients are 25 years or younger. These are the results of a DOG survey of German eye clinics.

Three-quarters of patients suffer from relatively "light" injuries to the eyelid, cornea, or conjunctiva that can be treated on an outpatient basis.

But every fourth patient suffers a serious injury that needs to be treated in hospital or even in an emergency operation.

These include bruises or tears in the eyeball, often combined with eyelid and surface injuries. One in ten must expect a follow-up operation, visual impairment or permanent blindness.

"The high proportion of uninvolved pedestrians and minors among the injured is alarming," said Dr. med. Ameli Gabel-Pfisterer, ophthalmologist at the Ernst von Bergmann-Klinikum in Potsdam.

Some accident victims even reported having been pelted by fireworks or bangers.

Arguments for a ban on the sale of fireworks

At the turn of the year 2016/2017, the DOG initiated a survey of German eye clinics for the first time in order to be able to statistically record the number of persons affected, the type and extent of the injuries.

Their results were confirmed by a second survey last year.

"Our results, in particular with regard to the number of injured children, adolescents and young adults, are comparable with those of international studies," says Professor Dr. med. med. Hansjürgen Agostini from the Department of Ophthalmology at the University Medical Center Freiburg.

The figures provide further arguments for a ban on fireworks being sold to private individuals, as demanded by the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO) in 2016 for the first time.

"If you want to survive the New Year's Eve without damage, leave the bang to the hands of trained professionals," advises Gabel-Pfisterer.

If you do not want to give up the spectacle, you should wear protective goggles for your own safety. Children and alcoholized adults should not handle explosives at all. (Ad)