Highlighting the emergency cases reported every year during Diwali, Narayana Nethralaya pointed to a history of high-volume hospital admissions involving severe ocular burns, blast-induced acoustic trauma and shrapnel injuries. Children and innocent bystanders are among those who bear much of the impact of such incidents.

The initiative prioritises public safety and promotes what the organisations describe as ‘Firecracker Hygiene’, encouraging people to adopt practices that protect individual vision health while also considering the welfare of distressed domestic and stray animals.

Clinical reports from the state's premier eyecare centre indicate that thousands of preventable, vision-threatening injuries occur annually due to high-decibel explosives and unpredictable projectile fireworks.

Reflecting on the recurring influx of emergency cases, Dr Rohit Shetty, Vice Chairman, Narayana Nethralaya, said, "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."

Venu Ambati, President – EssilorLuxottica, India and Director of the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation, reiterated the importance of preventing vision-related injuries during festive celebrations.

"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," he said.

As part of its public health and safety advisory, the organisations have outlined precautions for protecting people and animals during Diwali. People are advised to maintain at least an arm's length while lighting fireworks and immediately move to a safe distance after ignition. Wearing plain glass spectacles or protective goggles can help protect the eyes from flying debris and sparks.

The advisory also stresses the importance of direct adult supervision whenever children are near fireworks. Large buckets of water and sand should be kept nearby to extinguish accidental fires or cool used sparklers. Earplugs or cotton balls are recommended to shield the ears from sudden, high-decibel fireworks explosions.

The organisations have also urged people to take precautions for domestic animals and strays. Pets should be kept indoors in a quiet, closed room with curtains drawn, while soothing music can help mask loud sounds outside. Stray animals should be allowed to take temporary shelter in building compounds or safe alcoves away from street fireworks. In case of an emergency or injury, people should seek immediate medical attention at the nearest medical centre.

The advisory also identifies practices that should be avoided while handling fireworks. People should never attempt to relight fireworks that fail to ignite or approach and bend over a dud. Fireworks should not be lit while being held in the hand or thrown randomly onto public roads.

The organisations have further warned against igniting fireworks inside metal boxes, glass bottles or clay pots, as these can create highly dangerous flying shrapnel. High-decibel fireworks should be completely avoided because they can trigger acute acoustic trauma in humans and severe panic among animals.

In the event of an eye injury, people should not rub the affected eye or apply unprescribed ointments. Instead, the eye should be gently covered with a clean patch before the injured person is taken immediately to the nearest specialised eye care hospital.

The OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation works to expand sustainable access to vision care in underserved communities worldwide. Inspired by EssilorLuxottica's mission to Empower Humans, the Foundation provides free eye examinations and glasses, strengthens local vision care systems and partners with NGOs, governments and like-minded organisations to develop 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 towards universal access. Its work has reached more than 140 countries and enabled access to vision care for over one billion people.

Narayana Nethralaya, headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka, is one of India's leading super-specialty eye care institutions. Founded in 1982 by Dr. K. Bhujang Shetty, the institution has expanded from a small eye clinic into a recognised eye care network offering advanced ophthalmic treatment, research, education and community eye health services.

Through their joint awareness initiative, the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation and Narayana Nethralaya are emphasising the importance of preventive measures, responsible firecracker use and compassion towards animals to reduce avoidable injuries during Diwali celebrations.