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Fourth of July weekend sees spike in fireworks-related injuries

June 30, 2005, ST. LOUIS – The Fourth of July weekend isn''t complete without fireworks, but don''t let a trip to the emergency room make you miss all the festivities. Improper use of fireworks can lead to various injuries ranging from simple burns to hearing impairment caused by loud explosions and eye damage by sparklers or bottle rockets.

Dr. Doug Schuerer is a trauma surgeon at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. He says many of these injuries involve the youth and advises parents to supervise them when handling fireworks.

"I think the most disappointing are the kids because they aren''t really well supervised," Schuerer says. "They aren''t sure of what they''re doing so they probably have a lot more injuries."

Though adults tend to be more careful, the use of fireworks becomes even more dangerous when there''s alcohol involved, says Schuerer. "Alcohol takes away people''s inhibitions and they''ll tend to do things with fireworks like aim them at each other or near large groups instead of using them in a safe manner," he says.

Dr. Philip Custer, an ophthalmologist specializing in reconstructive eye surgery at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, notes the rise in eye injuries during the summer, especially around the Fourth of July.

According to Custer, fireworks like bottle rockets and sparklers are especially dangerous when handled carelessly. These fireworks can penetrate or lacerate the cornea, or surface of the eye, and lead to blindness. "Eye trauma is one of the leading causes of blindness that we see certainly in children and young adults," Custer says.

Custer encourages people to check with local ordinances to see if they''re using legal fireworks, which are usually less powerful and have some degree of safety. He also warns people to stay away from duds.

"If you have a firework that doesn''t go off, let''s not take a close look at that wondering why it didn''t go off," he says. "Sometimes they''ll ignite later and next thing we know we have the projectile striking us in our eyes."