Precautions advised to prevent eye injuries, allergies, asthma and food poisoning this Deepawali
PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
Doctors said individuals should take necessary precautions on the occasion of Deepawali to prevent eye injuries and eye allergy cases, along with asthma and food poisoning.
On the occasion of Deepawali, cases of eye infection and eye injury, among others, tend to increase among people due to bursting crackers without necessary precautions. Considering this, physicians said that on the said occasion, asthma, allergies and other ailments increase among people. Eye specialists have also made an appeal, as during the said festival cases of corneal burns, eye allergies due to pollution from crackers and traffic, among others, increase.
Physician at Deen Dayal Upadhyay district hospital, Praveen Panwar said that on the occasion of Deepawali, crackers are burst, and every year it is observed that post-Deepawali asthma, allergies, food poisoning due to consumption of more sweets and adulterated food increase along with uncontrolled sugar. He said to prevent this, precautions are necessary which includes bursting fewer crackers and focusing on bursting green crackers, consuming a sugar-free diet and avoiding eating coloured food material.
Additionally, eye specialist Dr Amit Singh said that currently cases of eye infection or eye injury due to crackers have not been witnessed among people. However, he said it has been noticed that on the occasion of Deepawali especially post Deepawali cases like burn of cornea, burn of eyelid increase. Additionally, in severe cases, eyeball perforation also occurs. In corneal burns, primary symptoms include vision loss.
He further added that due to smoke from crackers, eye allergies also increase, in which people suffer from itching and redness in the eyes. To prevent such eye injuries and eye allergies, people are recommended to take precautions such as staying away from heavy crackers like bombs and rockets, maintaining a safe distance while bursting crackers and wearing protective eyewear. Parents should ensure children burst crackers under their surveillance, along with keeping a bucket of water nearby while bursting crackers, Singh said.
Senior eye consultant Dr Vinod Arora said that during Deepawali, pollution increases due to traffic and cracker smoke. In view of this factor, eye allergy cases increase among people. Similarly, eye allergy cases involving itching and irritation are being witnessed nowadays. He also added that while bursting crackers in Deepawali, eye injury cases are also witnessed. To prevent this, children should not burst crackers alone; keep a bucket of water nearby while bursting crackers, and in case of eye injury while bursting crackers, immediate first aid is to wash eyes with cold water. Further, contact doctors at the earliest for treatment, Arora said.
