🎆👁️ Celebrate Safely: Why Your Eyes Are the Most Vulnerable on Fireworks Night
When the sky bursts into color, our eyes crave the spectacle—but fireworks carry hidden dangers, especially to vision. Here's how to stay safe and keep your sight intact this holiday season.
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Story at a glance
What the research says
Nearly 10,000 people are injured annually in the U.S. due to fireworks. About 20% of those injuries involve the eyes.
🎇 The Appeal—and the Risk
Fireworks light up our celebrations, but they also lead to thousands of injuries every year. In 2023 alone, around 9,700 fireworks-related injuries were treated in U.S. emergency rooms—approximately 15% of those involved eye injuries, translating to roughly 1,455 cases.
Many victims were not the ones lighting the fireworks but bystanders—nearly two-thirds of injuries affect people who were simply watching.
Key findings
Children aged 5–9 and teens 15–19 are especially at risk .
Sparklers alone cause ~1,400 eye injuries each year.
Who’s at Risk?
Statistics show that men and teenage boys (ages 15–19) are disproportionately affected, but children under 15 also make up a significant portion of victims . Even seemingly harmless sparklers burn at around 2,000 °F—hot enough to inflict severe eye burns.
Most adults don't use eye protection around fireworks, while they do for everyday tasks—indicating a dangerous blind spot.
Spectators, especially children, are frequently injured.
Bottle rockets and homemade fireworks are common offenders .
Effect on eye health
Injuries range from corneal abrasions to ruptured globes, with ~30% resulting in permanent vision loss or even enucleation .
Why This Matters
Fireworks are breathtaking—but they’re also dangerous.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported nearly 9,700 injuries involving fireworks in 2023, with roughly 20% affecting the eye.
Each year, an estimated 1,400 eye injuries in the U.S. involve sparklers alone—a reminder that even “harmless” displays can be hazardous.
Who’s Most at Risk?
Kids under 10 and teens are disproportionately affected .
Spectators—not just those lighting fireworks—suffer injuries, especially when devices malfunction or backfire.
Bottle rockets and homemade fireworks pose heightened dangers.
The Damage Can Be Catastrophic
Eye injuries aren’t just painful—they can cause lasting harm. Up to 30% of firework-related eye injuries lead to permanent vision loss or require surgical removal of the eye.
What Can Go Wrong?
The eye is vulnerable to a range of horrors from fireworks: burns, corneal abrasions, lens opacity, ruptured eyeballs (open-globe injuries), and even permanent blindness.
Around one-third of cases can result in permanent vision loss, and many require emergency surgery. Even minor injuries can escalate if unaddressed—rubbing or attempting self-treatment often worsens the damage .
Simple Safety Measures
You don’t have to skip the show to stay safe:
Keep your distance: Attend professional fireworks displays, and stay at least 500 feet away from launch sites.
Wear protective eyewear: ANSI-approved goggles can drastically reduce the chance of eye injury.
Never let kids handle fireworks: Even sparklers are deceptively dangerous.
Supervise actively: Kids should never play with fireworks unsupervised—even when adults are nearby.
Avoid alcohol while handling fireworks: Many injuries happen when people are impaired.
Don’t relight duds: Wait, soak in water, and dispose—don’t second-guess a failed firework.
Be emergency-ready: Keep a hose or bucket of water handy and have contact info for emergency care.
If Injury Occurs
Stay calm and follow these steps immediately: