Ocular firework injury: A case for advocacy

Abstract

Background: Ocular trauma is a common finding in eye care practices. These injuries can be mild with no visual or ocular consequence,  and it can be devastating with loss of vision in one or both eyes or significant deformity. Fireworks of various types are commonly used  during festivals and occasions. This article reports cases of ocular firework injury seen at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).

Method: This was a retrospective hospital study. Case notes of patients with ocular firework injury between January 2022 and December  2023 (2 years) at the Eye Institute of LASUTH were retrieved. Data on demographic, mechanism of injury, intervention and eventual ocular  status was collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results: 5 cases of ocular firework injury was seen during the  period. There were 4 males and 1 female. Age range was between 5 - 51 years. The 4 males were primary victims and they were  irreversibly blind in the affected eye at presentation and all 4 had surgical intervention. There was only one secondary victim.

Conclusion:  Fireworks injuries at the Eye institute of LASUTH were found to have severe visual consequence with all primary victims  losing vision in the affected eye. Advocacy and Government policies can see to a massive reduction in these fatal complications of  fireworks.