GUWAHATI: Diwali, the festival of lights is an occasion of fun and frolic with family and friends. But the number of fire-related injuries also increase drastically during these days. Here are some tips to protect your eyes from harm during this festival season.
- The use of protective eyewear is advisable.
- Maintain a safe distance and keep utensils above waist level while cooking.
- While lighting fireworks, maintain a safe distance after lighting. Use a face shield if possible. Post-pandemic, these are easily available everywhere.
- Do not try to move live fireworks or fling them into the air.
- Adult supervision should be compulsory for children with fireworks.
- Always keep a bucket of water handy for fires.
- Motorists must wear a helmet as many people light fireworks on the road without checking.
- Car drivers can keep their windows rolled up while driving.
- Most importantly, do not try any form of self-medication.
- In cases of mild burns induced by hot oil or a small foreign body, one should wash the eye thoroughly by splashing a good amount of clean drinking water. Otherwise, the person can fill a shallow cup to the brim with water and blink repeatedly in it.
- Consult an ophthalmologist as soon as possible to remove the foreign body and apply appropriate medications.
- In case of severe bleeding caused by direct impact to the eyes with fireworks, first splash clean water, then cover the eye with a clean cotton pad or towel. Make sure not to apply any pressure on the wound and consult an ophthalmologist immediately. Such cases might require immediate surgical procedures.
Over and adobe all the tips mentioned above, there is another key point to be kept in mind during Diwali. It is to be attentive when playing with or lighting fireworks. Better not to play with fire in a tired or inebriated condition.