Fireworks Eye Safety and Cataract Awareness Month

June is both Fireworks Eye Safety and Cataract Awareness Month! Fireworks are especially popular as we close in on the 4th of July, but they can be dangerous as well! Unfortunately eye injuries due to fireworks are common! Cataracts are a clouding of the natural lens of our eyes and also will diminish vision, but generally over a period of time.

Out of the total of injuries caused by fireworks, about 15% are eye injuries. These injuries tend to be chemical and thermal burns, corneal abrasions and retinal detachments, all of which can cause permanent loss of vision.

Fireworks are not toys and are best handled by professionals! Unfortunately too many “amateurs” out there want to give them a go! All sorts of injuries happen, including those to bystanders and children. Sparklers are especially dangerous to kids as they are often oblivious to the dangers involved with the sparkler as it can burn up to 2000 degrees Fahrenheit!

Americans spend hundreds of millions of dollars annually on consumer fireworks, which cause more than 9,000 injuries a year. With the Fourth of July holiday just weeks away, the American Academy of Ophthalmology is reminding the public that fireworks are not toys but incendiary devices that can cause devastating eye injuries.

Why is Fireworks Safety Important?

You need to be aware that fireworks can cause serious damage to your eyes. Any firework that explodes or leaves a trail of sparks is too dangerous to look at. Even sparklers, which can seem harmless, can cause serious eye damage.

During Fireworks Eye Safety Month, we encourage everyone to celebrate safely by taking the following precautions:

• Keep a safe distance from the fireworks.
• Parents should never allow young children to play with fireworks.
• Hold sparklers at arm’s length and look away from them as they burn.
• Wear safety glasses when using fireworks to help protect your vision from particles that may fly into the air. Do not hold fireworks in your hand or light them indoors.
• If you choose to use firearms for a July 4th celebration, ensure that the shooting is done safe away from crowds, pets, and buildings.

Cataract is one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States. If not treated, cataracts can lead to blindness. In addition, the longer cataracts are left untreated, the more difficult it can be to successfully remove the cataract and restore vision. During Cataract Awareness Month in June, the American Academy of Ophthalmology reminds the public that early detection and treatment of cataracts is critical to preserving sight.

In anticipation of Cataract Awareness Month, here are some common questions and answers about cataracts:

What causes cataracts?

The lens lies behind the iris and the pupil. It works much like a camera lens. It focuses light onto the retina at the back of the eye, where an image is recorded. The lens also adjusts the eye’s focus, letting us see things clearly both up close and far away. The lens is made of mostly water and protein. The protein is arranged in a precise way that keeps the lens clear and lets light pass through it.

But as we age, some of the protein may clump together and start to cloud a small area of the lens. This is a cataract. Over time, the cataract may grow larger and cloud more of the lens, making it harder to see.

What are the symptoms of a cataract?

The most common symptoms of a cataract are:

• Cloudy or blurry vision.
• Colors seem faded.
• Headlights, lamps, or sunlight may appear too bright. A halo may appear around lights.
• Poor night vision.
• Double vision or multiple images in one eye. (This symptom may clear as the cataract gets larger.)
• Frequent prescription changes in your eyeglasses or contact lenses.

These symptoms also can be a sign of other eye problems. If you have any of these symptoms, check with your eye care professional.

How is a cataract detected?

Cataract is detected through a comprehensive eye exam that includes:

1. Visual acuity test. This eye chart test measures how well you see at various distances.
2. Dilated eye exam. Drops are placed in your eyes to widen, or dilate, the pupils. Your eye care professional uses a special magnifying lens to examine your retina and optic nerve for signs of damage and other eye problems. After the exam, your close-up vision may remain blurred for several hours.
3. An instrument measures the pressure inside the eye. Numbing drops may be applied to your eye for this test.

Your eye care professional also may do other tests to learn more about the structure and health of your eye.

What is the treatment for cataracts?

Even though cataracts are so prevalent, they are very simple to treat. Cataracts are a clouding of the lens of the eye, which prevents passage of light into the eye. The solution to cataracts is cataract surgery, which requires a surgeon to remove the deteriorated lens and replace it with an artificial lens called an intraocular lens or IOL.

Over 3 million Americans undergo cataract surgery annually, making it one of the most common surgeries in the United States. In fact, the entire surgery lasts only about 20 minutes, and most people can resume normal activities fairly rapidly.

Do cataracts only affect seniors?

Cataracts can develop any time. Most people associate cataracts with aging after 70. However, the exact time when these cataracts begin to form varies. Cataracts most commonly start to develop between the ages of 50 and 70. Sometimes they may develop earlier if an eye injury occurs or if a person develops a medical condition.

Depending on a variety of factors, which include age, lifestyle, occupation and injuries, cataracts may form in one or both eyes. Cataracts usually grow denser with age.

Can I prevent cataracts?

Cataracts, in general, cannot be prevented, especially those that are age-related. However, annual eye exams can preempt their onset before vision loss becomes severe.