We are conscious that many people might be holding their own firework displays at home this year.

Please take a moment to read this and take precautions. Hospitals treat people injured by fireworks every year – we care for your eyesight and don’t want that to happen to you.

Each year, 10 people in the UK lose their sight and 300 people suffer serious eye injuries in accidents caused by fireworks. 45% of those occured at private parties where trained first aiders were not on hand to help.

In addition:
• There were almost 2,000 occasions of people going to A&E linked to fireworks in 2018-19.
• Over the last five years almost 1,000 hospital admissions were related to the discharge of a firework.

Another fact to remember is that although sparklers are often thought to be one of the safest fireworks, they burn at temperatures up to 2000°C – that’s hot enough to melt gold!

Sparkler code

Dharmesh Patel, Chairman of The Eyecare Trust, says: “Eye damage caused by fireworks is so often avoidable and can lead to permanently reduced vision or even blindness, so this year the trust is urging people to take extra care of their eyes and follow the SPARKLER safety code.”

Shield your eyes with protective eyewear when lighting fireworks
Plunge sparklers into a bucket of cold water as soon as they have burnt out
Attend organised displays wherever possible
Read the instructions on the fireworks with a torch and follow them carefully
Keep all fireworks in a closed metal box and only light one at a time
Leave fireworks that fail to go off – never return to a lit firework
Ensure everyone stands a safe distance away when the fireworks are going off
Remove all debris and flammable objects from your firework display area.

If anyone in your party does suffer a firework eye injury:
• Seek medical attention immediately. Quick action can minimise long-term damage.
• Do not rub or rinse the injured eye or apply any ointments to the eye area. If you do, it could increase any damage and make it more difficult for a specialist to provide treatment.

And remember, if you’re planning your own Bonfire Night party there are certain legal restrictions governing the use of fireworks. It is illegal to set-off fireworks between 11pm and 7am except on November 5 when the restriction is extended until midnight.

Have fun…and stay safe.