Bengaluru: Firecracker injury threatens eyesight; two children among the victims

Shabnam undergoing medical treatment at Minto Eye Hospital after a firecracker accident during Deepavali celebrations severely damaged her eye in Bengaluru on November 9, 2026. | Photo credit: K. MURALI KUMAR

Firecracker-related eye injuries continue to release the spark of the festival of lights, with several people facing the risk of partial or near-total vision loss this Deepavali as well. Among those affected are children, including infants between the ages of three and five months, while a significant proportion of victims are bystanders.

Bystanders bear the brunt

At Minto State Eye Hospital, 12 of 20 patients treated in the three days to November 9 suffered serious injuries. Significantly, 13 were bystanders watching the others crack crackers or happened to be nearby. The remaining seven were injured when they burst the crackers themselves.

The cases included 10 men and two women in addition to eight children. A 12-year-old boy from Doddaballapur suffered ruptured eyeballs and is at risk of partial vision loss after being hit by a firecracker by another person. Eight patients suffered minor injuries, 12 suffered severe injuries. Four were admitted, two require surgery. Doctors said the extent of vision loss can only be assessed after three to six months.

Bijili biscuits were responsible for six injuries, while five patients were unable to identify the biscuits responsible. Other cases involved flower pots, bombs, Lakshmi biscuits and rockets.

Narayana Nethralaya at its Rajajinagar, Bommasandra, Bannerghatta Road and Whitefield centers reported 60 patients between November 6 and 9, including 30 children below 18 and 15 bystanders. One patient required surgery, while the others were treated medically.

Naren Shetty, director of the Rajajinagar centre, expressed concern over the high proportion of children among the injured and urged parents to supervise them and ensure they maintain a safe distance while bursting crackers.

Babies are among the injured

Sankara Eye Hospital has documented 26 firecracker-related injury cases till November 9, involving patients aged between three months and 46 years. His records included three-month-old and five-month-old infants among those who sustained injuries.

Thermal and chemical burns, blunt trauma, corneal abrasions, and eyelid injuries were among the commonly reported injuries. One patient suffered a globe rupture and required evisceration with placement of an orbital implant, doctors said.

At Nethradhama Special Eye Hospital, a nine-year-old boy sustained an injury to his right eye after a firecracker exploded near him while he was standing in a park. Brought to the hospital within 10 to 15 minutes, his vision was initially limited to hand movements. Doctors diagnosed hyphema (bleeding inside the eye) and increased intraocular pressure.

“Early intervention was essential as delay could have caused permanent vision loss. He is doing much better now and has been advised to continue treatment,” said Raksha Jagdishprasad Vaishnav, cataract and glaucoma surgeon at the hospital.

Use safety glasses

Doctors said most firecracker-related eye injuries were preventable and urged people to be careful during the celebrations. Children should never be allowed to handle firecrackers without adult supervision and must be kept a safe distance from the point of ignition. Safety glasses, preferably shatter-resistant glasses, should be worn not only by those cracking the crackers, but also by family members and bystanders.

They also warned against holding lit firecrackers in your hand or trying to relight crackers that won’t light. In the event of an eye injury, people should not rub or apply pressure on the affected eye or try home remedies. Instead, they should seek immediate medical attention from an ophthalmologist, as early treatment can help prevent further damage and improve the chances of preserving vision.

Published – November 9, 2026 10:13 PM IST