Diwali Firecracker Explosion Severely Damages 14-Year-Old Boy's Eye In Bhopal, Doctors Say Only 10% Chance Of Vision Recovery

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A 14-year-old boy has been admitted to Hamidia Hospital after sustaining an eye injury due to the bursting of a firecracker on Diwali.

Hamidia Hospital is planning to refer him to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, as major surgery is needed to take out pieces of firecrackers which are still in the eye.

The primary surgery was done and his dressing will be removed on Tuesday. Thereafter, a team of doctors will make a decision on the referral.

The explosion of a firecracker caused the outer white layer of the eye (the sclera) to rupture. Small particles of gunpowder and firecracker debris have penetrated deep into the eye.

The eye was filled with blood, and the lens was also damaged. Dr SS Kubre, an ophthalmologist at Hamidia Hospital, told Free Press that initial surgery had taken place, but pieces of firecrackers were still in the eye.

He further said that the eyeball had been breached. An immediate operation was necessary to minimise the risk of infection.

The child will now need to be referred to a specialised centre for surgery on the retina and the posterior part of the eye (vitrectomy) to restore vision, as there is only a 10% chance of vision restoration.