Fireworks Eye Safety Tips for Fourth of July

At Swagel Wootton Eye Institute, we hope that everyone has a great time over the 4th of July. Eye health and safety may not appear at the top of your holiday checklist, but you can enjoy brilliant fireworks for years to come when you follow these eye safety tips from our eye doctors in Mesa and Chandler..

Eye Safety Tips

Children often complain when you give them too many ground rules. However, the 4th of July is the perfect opportunity to have a family meeting to set safety expectations.

Prevent dry, irritated eyes or more serious eye injuries by following these eye safety tips on July 4th:

• Set ground rules for small children and teens during the July 4th get-togethers.
• Don’t leave small children unsupervised and keep fireworks out of reach of little hands.
• Wear safety eyeglasses if you handle fireworks. If you need high-quality safety glasses in your prescription, stop by our optical department for fast, friendly service
• Avoid buying sparklers. Although popular and fun, sparklers reach 2,000 degrees — that’s not something you really want in your child’s hand. They can easily end up burning eyes or skin.
• Remember to follow local regulations to avoid fines and other legal issues and to put off fireworks at a safe distance from your home, dry grass, or other flammable objects.

Most families already use a great deal of care and precautions when it comes to lighting fireworks around friends and children, and legal fireworks can add to the fun and pageantry of this national holiday.

What to Do in Case of Eye Injury

Despite your best efforts, accidents can happen. It’s important to know what to do in the case of a medical emergency involving your eyes.

Here are some tips that can help you get the care you need quickly without making an eye injury worse:

• Go to the emergency room or seek medical care immediately.
• In most cases, it’s a bad idea to apply pressure or rub the eye following an injury.
• Do not remove objects stuck in your eye. Also avoid pain medication, ointments, or any other treatment prior to consulting with a medical professional.

Reacting quickly and correctly can prevent vision loss due to burning eyes and other injuries over the 4th of July. In case of doubt, call 911 and get to a safe, uncrowded area where emergency workers can reach you quickly.

If you experience dry, burning eyes due to irritation from the July 4th revelry, please make an appointment for an eye exam as soon as possible. We may be able to offer eye drops or medication to provide relief and it’s better to know that everything’s fine with your vision than to wait to see what happens.

Top Eye Care in Mesa and Phoenix

Swagel Wootton offers a wide range of eye care services for the entire family, including cataract and LASIK surgery in greater Phoenix. Our eye doctors in Mesa and Chandler keep an eye on your vision health throughout your life to help you see what matters. Contact Swagel Wootton Eye Institute to make an appointment today.