Bengaluru: Firecracker injuries threaten vision; two infants among victims

Bengaluru Firecracker-related eye injuries continue to take the sparkle out of the festival of lights, with several people facing the risk of partial or near-total vision loss this Deepavali too. Children, including infants as young as three and five months, are among those affected, while bystanders account for a significant share of the victims. Bystanders bear the brunt At the State-run Minto Ophthalmic Hospital, 12 of the 20 patients treated over the three days till November 9 suffered grievous injuries.

Significantly, 13 were bystanders who were watching others burst crackers or happened to be nearby. The remaining seven were injured while bursting crackers themselves. The cases included 10 male and two female patients, apart from eight children.

A 12-year-old boy from Doddaballapur suffered a ruptured eyeball after being hit by a firecracker burst by another person and is at risk of partial vision loss. Eight patients sustained minor injuries, while 12 suffered grievous injuries. Four have been admitted, with two requiring surgery.