As many as 15 patients with eye injuries due to fire crackers came to the Advanced Eye Centre in the PGIMER, Chandigarh in the past 24 hours on Friday.
These patients included 13 men, two women and six children, with the youngest being eight years of age. Of these, ten patients were bystanders, while five were bursting crackers themselves.
An official statement stated that crackers responsible for the injuries were rockets in three cases, while different types of bombs were responsible for injuring 12 patients. Twelve patients will be needing surgical intervention, nine of them have serious open globe injuries.
Nine patients have already been operated on and three are currently undergoing surgery, it stated. In the Advanced Trauma centre, PGIMER, three patients with burn injuries came. One patient who had around 25 per cent burns (involving chest and arms) was admitted to the Burns ward in Block-A of Nehru hospital.
Remaining two patients with minor injuries were discharged after first aid. The Department of Plastic Surgery received 4 patients injured during Diwali festivities. Two patients sustained major thermal burns (25 percent and 70 per cent) while lighting candles.
Another young patient sustained grievous hand injuries as a firecracker burst while he was holding it. Similarly one patient sustained deep burns of thigh and hand due to firecracker blast.
Both these patients are also under close observation and will require multiple surgeries over the next few days. Last year, 27 patients with eye injuries due to fire crackers were admitted to the Advanced Eye Centre.