As Diwali celebrations begin across India, OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation along with Narayana Nethralaya, a leading vision care hospital, is committed towards educating the public on celebrating an accident-free, animal-friendly Diwali. Concerns regarding several emergency room admissions linked to firecracker mishaps, that are reported every year, Narayana Nethralaya highlighted the history of high-volume cases involving severe ocular burns, blast-induced acoustic trauma, and shrapnel injuries, with children and innocent bystanders bearing most of the impact. Prioritizing public safety and urging ‘Firecracker Hygiene’ for promoting individual vision health, and the welfare of distressed domestic and stray animals. 
 

L to R: Dr Himanshu Matalia, Dr Narendra KP, Dr Jyoti Matalia, Mr K V Mahesh, Dr Aaditi Anilkumar, Mr Denver Lobo
 

Clinical reports from the state’s premier eyecare center indicates that thousands of preventable vision-threatening injuries occur annually due to high-decibel explosives and unpredictable projectile fireworks. Reflecting on the alarming influx of emergency cases, Dr Rohit Shetty, Vice Chairman, Narayana Nethralaya, stated, “Every year during Diwali, our emergency teams witness a significant number of cases involving corneal tears, chemical burns, and deep blast injuries. Shockingly, more than half of these victims are children, and nearly half are innocent bystanders who were simply walking on the street. A split-second failure to maintain safe distances or wear protective eyewear can lead to irreversible loss of sight. We urgently need education on Fireworks Safety and a collective commitment towards promoting a Safer Diwali across schools and communities to safeguard our children’s future.” 

Championing our commitment towards vision care and systemic prevention, Venu Ambati, President – EssilorLuxottica, India and Director of the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation, added, “At the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation, our core mission is to empower individuals by protecting and correcting their vision. True vision leadership extends beyond corrective care to active harm prevention. The spike in fireworks-induced trauma during festive periods challenges the very foundation of healthy sight in our communities. We urge citizens to recognize that healthy vision is a precious asset. By adopting simple protective habits, we can ensure that the festival of lights reflects brightness for the future.” 

PUBLIC HEALTH & SAFETY ADVISORY: Protecting Humans and Animals This Diwali

DO’S:

• Keep a Safe Distance: Always maintain an arm’s length while lighting fireworks, and retreat to a safe distance immediately.

• Wear Protective Eyewear: Utilize plain glass spectacles or protective goggles to block flying debris and sparks.

• Direct Supervision: Ensure an adult is always present when children are near fireworks.

• Keep Water Handy: Maintain large buckets of water and sand nearby to quickly extinguish accidental fires or cool used sparklers.

• Protect the Ears: Use earplugs or cotton balls to shield your ears from sudden, high-decibel fireworks explosions.

• Provide Shelters for Pets: Keep domestic animals indoors in a quiet, closed room with curtains drawn. Play soothing music to mask the loud sounds outside.

• Show Compassion to Strays: Allow stray animals to take temporary shelter in your building compounds or safe alcoves away from street fireworks. 

• Get immediate medical care: Rush to the nearest medical center in case of any emergency or injuries

DONT’S:

• Never Re-ignite Duds: If a firework does not ignite, leave it alone. Never approach or bend over a failed firework to relight it.

• Avoid Hand-bursting: Never light fireworks while holding them in your hand or throw them randomly onto public roads.

• No Fireworks in Closed Containers: Do not ignite fireworks inside metal boxes, glass bottles, or clay pots, as this creates highly dangerous flying shrapnel.

• Say No to High-Decibel Fireworks: Completely avoid bursting high-decibel “fireworks” that triggers acute acoustic trauma in humans and severe panic in animals.

• Avoid Rubbing Injured Eyes: In the event of an eye injury, do not rub the eye or apply unprescribed ointments. Cover it gently with a clean patch and rush to the nearest specialized eye care hospital immediately. 

About OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation

The OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation is committed to expanding sustainable access to vision care in underserved communities worldwide. Inspired by EssilorLuxottica’s mission to Empower Humans, the Foundation provides free eye exams and glasses, strengthens local vision care systems, and partners with NGOs, governments, and like-minded organizations to deliver scalable, long-term solutions. As the first Global Collaborating Partner of the World Health Organization’s SPECS 2030 initiative, the Foundation supports the integration of vision care into primary healthcare systems and advances progress toward universal access. To date, its work has reached more than 140 countries and enabled access to vision care for over one billion people.

About Narayana Nethralaya

Narayana Nethralaya is one of India’s leading super-specialty eye care institutions, headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Founded in 1982 by Dr. K. Bhujang Shetty, it has grown from a small eye clinic into a renowned eye care network providing advanced ophthalmic treatment, research, education, and community eye health services.