Firework-related ocular injuries: Perception and opinions among Indian ophthalmologists

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Purpose: This study aimed to collect information on Indian ophthalmologists’ perceptions of firework-related ocular injuries and their opinions on reducing their incidence. Methods: An e-survey was conducted in November 2024, immediately after the Diwali festival, by circulating Google Forms to Indian ophthalmologists enrolled in different groups on the WhatsApp ® platform. Results: Of the 4378 ophthalmologists, 197 (4.5%) responded. The median number of firework-related ocular injuries treated by the respondents was 5.0 (range, 0–100). Respondents who were in private or group practice saw fewer injuries ( P = 0.018), and those in northern India treated the highest number of injuries ( P = 0.002). Approximately 27 (15.2%) respondents had poor outcomes in more than 50% of the injured eyes. The fireworks that the respondents felt needed to be banned or regulated most were atom bombs, rockets, and crackers, while 41 (21.3%) respondents favored a total ban. The respondents expressed that the various ophthalmic societies need to educate the public on the dangers of fireworks and safety measures for their use and advocate the government to regulate their use. Conclusions: Indian ophthalmologists across the country, but more so in the northern and southern parts, see a significant number of firework-related injuries during Diwali. The respondents urged various ophthalmic societies to take a proactive role in reducing injuries through education and advocacy of regulations.