New Delhi, Oct 29 || The All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, on Wednesday reported 190 cases of firecracker and carbide gun-related eye injuries during Diwali this year.
The number is 19 per cent more than the ocular cases seen last year during the 10-day Diwali period, said experts from the Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, AIIMS, New Delhi, during a press conference. In 2024, a total of 160 patients reported eye injuries during Diwali.
Notably, the country’s premier national referral institute for ocular trauma recorded a notable spike in firecracker-related eye injuries this year, while carbide-based firecrackers presented a new hazard.
Out of 190 cases, 18-20 eye injuries were due to carbide guns, the experts said.
“A disturbing trend this year has been the emergence of severe chemical burn-like injuries linked to carbide-based firecrackers,” the experts said.