4^thof July is such a fun holiday to look forward to every year. Festivities seem to begin during the day with barbeques and swimming, but we can all agree the best part happens when the sun goes down – fireworks!! Fireworks can be very dangerous and result in thousands of injuries every year which include eye injuries. Here are five ways to keep your children's eyes safe this 4^thof July:

If attending a public fireworks display:

1.  View from a distance!!

Leaving the fireworks to the professionals to take care of is a great idea. However, it’s important to remember to watch from a distance. It is said that a large percentage of injuries happen to bystanders. In fact according to the Washington Post, 180 people a day land in the ER for injuries from fireworks around the national holiday. So stay safe even when you’re not the one in handling.

Using purchased fireworks:

2.  Wear Eye Protection!

These fireworks are a 4^thof July tradition! However, handling fireworks yourself or with kids comes with great danger. It is so important to always wear safety glasses since these fireworks contain many chemicals that can damage your eyes dramatically. Even if you’re wearing this protection, it’s important to remember to NEVER touch unexploded firework remains as they can spark or go off unintentionally.  

3.  Don’t let kids play with fireworks

As much as they want to play with them, it’s important to keep them safe from potential injury. One of children’s favorite to play with are sparklers. However, these can reach temperatures of up to 2000 degrees Fahrenheit! So stay aware.  If they are old enough to hold sparklers, you want to make sure they are holding them far from their face or other people. 

4.  After handling… wash your hands!

As mentioned earlier, these fireworks contain many chemicals that can seriously injur the eye. Washing off your hands will prevent any of the residue to come in contact with your eyes.

5.  Keep a bucket of water handy

After the use of sparklers or other fireworks, keep a bucket of water close by to dispose the aftermath materials.  This will insure that there are not any extra sparks around and that flames are properly distinguished to minimize the chance of burns.

If injury does happen… SEEK HELP IMMEDITATELY! Additionally, do not rub, rinse out, apply pressure or apply any sort of ointment to your eyes. These steps can potentially save your vision! So this 4^thof July keep these tips in mind to keep you and your families safe from eye injury!