Children’s Hospital & Medical Center, Nebraska Medicine, Truhlsen Eye Institute and the University of Nebraska Medical Center have teamed up to spread awareness about eye safety ahead of the Independence Day holiday by offering free safety glasses to the public.
“Every year we have many ocular injuries from fireworks, unfortunately, we also have a few who have complete vision loss. These injuries can easily be prevented,” says Rao Chundury, MD, assistant professor, UNMC Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Truhlsen Eye Institute and oculofacial plastic and reconstruction surgeon with Nebraska Medicine.
According to the 2020 Fireworks Annual Report from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, fireworks were involved in an estimated 15,600 injuries treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments. An estimated 15% of those injuries involved eyes.
“Fireworks and even sparklers are incendiary and explosive devices that can burn at temperatures up to 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit! Even brief contact with the delicate tissues of the eye can cause devastating burns,” says Paul Rychwalski, MD, the Dr. John and Irene Graether Endowed Chair in Pediatric Ophthalmology, Truhlsen Eye Institute, and chief of ophthalmology, Children’s Hospital & Medical Center. “Also, high velocity projectiles like bottle rockets can cause massive injuries to the cornea, lens and retina and even cause the eye to rupture.”
Pick up a pair of free safety glasses at the following locations from Monday, June 27, through Monday, July 4. Maximum one pair per person while supplies last.
Nebraska Medicine Health Centers
Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Chalco Health Center
8343 S. 168th Ave., Omaha
Family Medicine at Bellevue Health Center
2510 Bellevue Medical Center Drive, Suite 200, Bellevue
Eagle Run Health Center
3685 N. 129th St., Omaha
Midtown Health Center
139 S. 40th St., Omaha
Children’s Ophthalmology Clinic 8534 Cass St.
Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Children’s Physicians, Creighton 2412 Cuming St., Suite 103
Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to noon
Children’s Physicians and Children’s Urgent Care location at West Village Pointe 110 N. 175th St.
Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., 6 to 10 p.m.
Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday, noon to 10 p.m.
Truhlsen Eye Institute 3902 Leavenworth St.
Monday through Friday, 7:15 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Truhlen Eye Institute at Village Pointe Health Center 110 N. 175th St.Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
About Children’s Hospital & Medical Center
Children’s Hospital & Medical Center is the only full-service, pediatric health care center in Nebraska, providing expertise in more than 50 pediatric specialty services to children across a five-state region and beyond. Children’s is home to Nebraska’s only Level IV regional Newborn Intensive Care Unit and the state’s only Level II Pediatric Trauma Center. Children’s is recognized as a 2022-23 Best Children’s Hospital by U.S. News & World Report in two pediatric specialties: Pulmonology and Lung Surgery and Urology. Visit us online at ChildrensOmaha.org.
About Nebraska Medicine and UNMC
We are Nebraska Medicine and UNMC. Our mission is to lead the world in transforming lives to create a healthy future for all individuals and communities through premier educational programs, innovative research and extraordinary patient care.