A moment’s enjoyment went awry for ten-year-old Varun and his mother Savitha after a firecracker exploded and the combustible material hit his eyes on Sunday. He suffered bleeding in the eye and was admitted to Minto Eye Hospital. “I was busy at home when he went out to burst crackers with his friends,” said Savitha, a daily wage labourer.
Shilpa Y.D., opthalmologist, Minto Eye Hospital, said that they would wait to see if the eye would heal in a couple of days, post which the doctors would intervene. “Most of these injuries occur when children are unsupervised,” she said. As the injury was minor, the boy was treated and sent home.
Four other cases were treated at the hospital since Saturday, of which two needed admission.
Other hospitals
Injuries were reported from other eye hospitals in the city as well. Nineteen cases were reported from the four Narayana Nethralayas in the city. A 11-year-old boy, Akash from Devanahalli, suffered a severe injury to his left eye. “Akash’s left eye has ruptured and will need to be operated upon. The chances of saving the eye appear to be bleak,” said a hospital source.
Two minor eye injuries were reported at Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital and another one was reported at Samprathi Eye Hospital and Squint Centre in the city.
“The most number of injuries often occur on the last night of Deepavali. Last year, we got 45-50 cases. There is definitely much more awareness in terms of precautions that need to be taken.,” said Bhujang Shetty, CMD, Narayana Nethralaya.
Burns
A 40-year-old man suffered burns from firecrackers and was taken to Victoria Hospital. “The patient suffered 4 per cent burns, but since the injury was on the face and he had a history of asthma, he was admitted to hospital,” said Smitha Segu, associate professor at Department of Plastic Surgery and Burns at the hospital.
