‘They are chemical bombs’: AIIMS doctors flag 19% rise in Diwali eye injuries, warn against carbide guns

“These are not traditional fireworks—they are chemical bombs. So, if people peep into the pipe in case of a delayed chemical reaction, the accumulated gas can burst directly into their eyes. Others can be hit by debris when the blast goes out of control,” Dr Radhika Tandon, chief of the RP centre, said at a press conference on Wednesday.

“We are seeing a clear rise in the number and severity of ocular injuries this year. We are seeing deep ocular surface burns and tissue destruction that we rarely encountered before. The emergence of carbide gun-related trauma is particularly alarming, as these devices cause chemical and thermal burns that can result in irreversible vision loss,” she added.

Carbide-based firecrackers are locally assembled explosives, made by reacting calcium carbide with water to generate acetylene gas. They cause blasts and emit toxic metal hydroxide fumes. The result is chemical burn-like injuries, corneal opacification, and in many cases, irreversible blindness.

The increase in eye injuries has been reported despite the Supreme Court’s limited approval of certified “green” crackers for only two days—October 20 and 21.

44 per cent cases from Delhi-NCR

Nearly 44 per cent of the 190 firecracker-related ocular trauma cases reported at AIIMS during the 10-day Diwali period this year were from Delhi-NCR, while the remaining 56 per cent came from neighbouring Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, where uncertified and banned crackers were allegedly easily available despite restrictions.

The majority of the injured were young individuals, with an average age of 20 years, and a male-to-female ratio of 5:1. Alarmingly, 17 per cent of patients suffered injuries to both eyes, highlighting the severe impact of these explosions.

The injuries ranged from blunt trauma and corneal burns to open globe injuries that required emergency surgery. Nearly 44 per cent of the patients needed immediate surgical intervention to save the eye structure and residual vision.

Experts said that cross-border availability and weak enforcement continue to undermine the intent of the court’s directive and added that the festival has once again exposed regulatory lapses in monitoring the sale and use of firecrackers.

Over half of the cases (51 per cent) occurred on Diwali day itself, and most patients reached the casualty either the same night or the following day.

Nearly one in four patients arrived at the hospital with severe visual impairment, and another quarter had moderate visual loss. Many were referred late from peripheral centres, by which time permanent damage had already set in. The report stressed that visual recovery in such cases remains extremely limited, even with advanced surgical intervention.

AIIMS has now urged authorities to tighten interstate enforcement, ban carbide-based crackers, and curb online sales of unapproved fireworks. It also emphasised the need for public education campaigns on the dangers of ocular trauma and the importance of using protective eyewear during celebrations.

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