Fireworks injured 168 people's eyes over New Year's

A total of 168 people injured one or both their eyes with fireworks this New Year's, around 30 more than the previous New Year's, according to the Dutch ophthalmic society NOG. 13 people blinded an eye, and five completely lost an eye, NOS reports

The number of patients with eye damaged caused by fireworks has been increasing since 2017, according to NOG. The majority, 65 percent, of victims were injured by legal fireworks. Almost half of the victims were injured by fireworks lit by someone else.

NOG therefor calls for a complete ban on consumer fireworks.

Doctors at the Eye Hospital in Rotterdam already announced that they had a busy New Year. The treated 18 people with firework-related eye injures between 11:30 p.m. on December 31st and 7:00 a.m. on January 1st. More than double compared to the year before.

A father and his 4-year-old son were killed in a fire started by fireworks in an apartment building in Arnhem. The mother and 8-year-old daughter were critically injured. A total of 1,300 fireworks injuries were treated by emergency rooms and GP posts.