11 suffer eye injuries due to firecrackers in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: At least 11 people, most of whom are children, have sustained firecracker-related eye injuries and are admitted to various hospitals across the city as of Thursday.

Minto Ophthalmic Hospital reported its third case on Thursday, following two cases earlier this week.

A 17-year-old boy from LR Nagar arrived with a corneal injury at 5.30 pm on Thursday. On Wednesday night, a five-year-old child from Kanakapura, reportedly a bystander, suffered serious right eye injuries and was brought in at 9 pm.

Doctors said the child can only detect hand movements in front of his right eye, which has been compromised due to bleeding in the anterior chamber (total hyphema) and a “full-thickness corneal tear with iris prolapse” (where the iris protrudes through a wound). He is receiving eye drop treatment and will require surgery to repair the corneal tear. Earlier this week, an 18-year-old boy was also admitted to Minto for a firecracker-related eye injury.

Sankara Eye Hospital in Kundalahalli reported three severe cases.

A three-year-old child suffered a corneal injury as a bystander, a 10-year-old boy sustained injuries after approaching an initially unexploded firecracker, and an eight-year-old boy suffered an iris prolapse. Doctors are awaiting post-surgery results to determine the extent of his eyesight restoration.

Shekar Eye Hospital has reported two cases: a seven-year-old child was admitted on Wednesday night with a corneal abrasion, and a 69-year-old man sustained an eyelid injury from a firecracker.

At Narayana Netralaya, three cases were reported — two at the Rajajinagar branch and one on Bannerghatta Road. According to doctors, all three patients — two boys and a girl — are under 18 years of age.

As of Thursday evening, no firecracker-related burns had been reported at Victoria Hospital’s burns ward.

For injury related issues, please call helplines 7498809105 and 9740322179 (Victoria Hospital) 080-69038900 and 9739883996 (Sankara Eye Hospital).