Take care of your eyes; wear fireworks glasses

Otto suffered an eye injury from fireworks in 2014.

New Year’s Eve 2014: the night that changed everything
It was New Year’s Eve 2014. Otto (now 46) was standing outside his house with his family, ready to set off a pot of fireworks. A festive tradition that abruptly turned into a nightmare. The fireworks exploded faster than expected, and in a fraction of a second, the fireworks hit Otto in the face. His own glasses shattered, causing even more damage.

Otto lost his iris and only had 10% vision left
A bloodied face and the painful realization that something was seriously wrong with his eye. In a panic, Otto was taken to the hospital by his neighbor. There began a journey of recovery, with surgeries, stitches, and a difficult road to healing. He had multiple injuries to his face, a hole in his eyeball, and damage to his retina. Five hours of surgery later, Otto had a different lens in his eye, no iris, and only 10% vision.

Daily life after the fireworks accident
Fortunately, Otto’s eye injury now has minimal impact on his daily life, but that was not always the case. Sunglasses became an indispensable accessory. Because his eye no longer has an iris, light was no longer filtered, and Otto was forced to wear sunglasses constantly. He also suffered from repeated infections in his eye, which caused considerable discomfort. Fortunately, a referral from his ophthalmologist at Amsterdam UMC to Visser Contactlenzen brought relief.

How soft contact lenses relieved Otto’s symptoms
Ahmed Ibrahim, optometrist at Visser Contactlenzen: “Just over a year ago, Otto came to see me during consultation hours to find a solution for his symptoms. Otto had already been treated by ophthalmologists, but his symptoms persisted.

The fireworks trauma had caused his iris to lose its ability to block out excessive light. As a result, he experienced normal light as very bright and disturbing. His cornea, the outer layer of the eye, had also developed an unpleasant condition due to the accident, causing him to suffer from constant painful sores.

A soft contact lens with a filter, similar to sunglasses, on the affected eye ensures that the light entering the eye is less bright and acts as a bandage for the wounds on the cornea. I am glad that Otto is free of his symptoms thanks to the lens and can perform his daily tasks properly again.”

Otto at a consultation with Ahmed Ibrahim, optometrist at Visser Contact Lenses

Unfortunately, Otto’s accident is not an isolated incident
Ophthalmologist Tjeerd de Faber has been campaigning for a fireworks ban for years. The doctor, who has been honored for his dedication to fireworks glasses and fireworks bans, among other things, shares his concern about the growing number of victims during the New Year’s celebrations. He advocates for change, for a ban on private fireworks, and for the importance of wearing fireworks glasses.

Tjeerd de Faber: “On January 2, 2012, Aboutaleb, mayor of Rotterdam, visited the Rotterdam Eye Hospital with the entire city council. I taught them, and the figures were, of course, alarming. Aboutaleb then allocated a safety budget to provide information at primary schools and distribute fireworks goggles. This attracted a lot of attention in the press. In the mid-1990s, I only saw three boys wearing fireworks glasses on the street, and they were my own sons. Now, when I drive to the hospital during New Year’s Eve, I am happy to see many people already wearing fireworks glasses.”

Unfortunately, this accident is not an isolated incident. Tjeerd de Faber: “One fireworks victim that has always stayed with me was a 3-year-old boy. He was the youngest patient I have ever seen with eye injuries caused by fireworks. He was carried in by his father and was crying heartbreakingly. It was January 1, 2003, at 11 a.m. It turned out that a baby rocket had landed in his eye. That’s when I realized: we really have to put a stop to this. After many operations, the boy eventually lost sight in that eye. And then you’re a patient for life.

There have also been cases where a mother and father were brought in with fireworks injuries, but their children were unharmed because their teacher had taught them to wear fireworks goggles. Teach your parents well.”

Protection first
Every New Year’s Eve, fireworks pose a serious threat to our eyes. Otto’s story highlights the vulnerability of our eyes and is a call to be careful during the New Year’s celebrations.

Many people think that their own glasses offer sufficient protection against fireworks. The opposite is true. Tjeerd de Faber shares his experience: “I have seen several patients with burns to the face, without damage to the eyes, because they were wearing fireworks glasses. Such glasses can prevent 80-90% of injuries, but not all. Your own glasses do not protect against fireworks. Normal glasses shatter, melt, or crack, and can even end up splintering in the eye. Then you are even further from home. So put the fireworks glasses over your own glasses.”

Take care of your eyes; wear fireworks glasses
Not only Otto’s personal story, but also the insights shared with us by ophthalmologist Tjeerd de Faber emphasize the importance of proper protection for your eyes. Protection must come first. Wear fireworks glasses, avoid unnecessary risks, and let’s work together to make New Year’s Eve safer for everyone.

Take care of your eyes; wear fireworks glasses.