With summer in full swing and the 4^th of July right around the corner, the Wisconsin Optometric Association put out this safety warning that all of us in the Madison area can benefit from. 

Fireworks pose a real danger to our eyes and vision.  Eyes are the second most commonly injured part of the body from improper use of fireworks.  An estimated 1400 fireworks related eye injuries were treated in the one month surrounding July 4^th, 2007, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has reported.  Thankfully complete vision loss is much less frequent, what is more common are contusions, lacerations and foreign bodies in the eyes. 

Kids under age 15 account for 42% of fireworks injuries in the same timeframe.  If you can believe it, sparklers were the highest cause of injury where an ER visit was required! 

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when you handle your holiday fireworks: 

1. Wear protective eyewear when handling fireworks. 
2. Adults should be handling the fireworks.  Or at the very least, every child should have complete, adult supervision. 
3. Never use fireworks indoors. 
4. Keep a bucket of water on hand in case any of them malfunction.
5. Do not attempt to reignite malfunctioning fireworks. 
6. Dispose of fireworks properly (dunking them in water if possible then right to the trash can). 
7. Have a fun and safe 4^th!! (definitely a tip none of us should forget!) 

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