As individuals across the United States prepare for the nation's 250th Independence Day celebrations, Dr. Andrew Lee, the Herb and Jean Lyman Centennial Chair in Ophthalmology at Houston Methodist warns about a predictable and preventable spike in firework-related eye injuries in the month of July— and offers five tips for preventing eye injuries.

 

 “Every year, we see a similar pattern,” he said. “The majority of firework-related eye injuries happen in July and many involve children. These are not rare accidents—they’re expected and preventable.”

 

Lee co-led a national study analyzing 20 years of data, which found an estimated 41,700 emergency department visits nationwide for firework-related eye injuries.

 

The analysis found that nearly two-thirds of firework-related eye injuries occur in individuals under the age of 18, with children ages 6 to 11 representing a particularly vulnerable group. Boys are disproportionately affected, accounting for roughly three in four cases reported.

 

Dr. Lee said that most fireworks-related injuries can be avoided with simple precautions, and offers the following five tips on how to prevent eye injuries this fireworks season:

 

1. Supervise children at all times around fireworks

 

2. Maintain a safe distance from active fireworks

 

3. Wear protective eyewear when handling fireworks

 

4. Leave igniting fireworks to responsible adults

 

5. Attend professional displays instead of using consumer fireworks

 

Lee said children should always be closely supervised and kept at a safe distance from fireworks, especially sparklers, which can burn at extremely high temperatures and pose risks to the eyes. He also noted that spectators should never stand close to fireworks or attempt to relight malfunctioning fireworks, as unpredictable explosions can send debris toward the face.

 

For more information or to schedule an interview with Lee, contact Nathaniel Godwin at nugodwin@houstonmethodist.org or 681.285.8818.