Carbide firecrackers cause surge in blinding injuries, say experts

The Punjab Ophthalmological Society (POS) — an association of eye specialists — has issued a nationwide warning against the use of carbide-based and improvised firecrackers, following a sharp rise in blinding eye injuries across the country.

Dr Shaukeen Singh, president of the Amritsar Academy of Ophthalmologists, along with secretary Dr Karamjeet Singh and Dr Raman Mittal, said that hospitals in several states have reported an alarming increase in serious eye injuries caused by carbide bombs or carbide guns.

These dangerous explosives are made by mixing calcium carbide with water, which produces acetylene gas, a highly flammable compound. “Such devices are chemical explosives, not traditional firecrackers. They can cause severe burns, destroy the cornea, and lead to irreversible blindness, facial disfigurement, and permanent disability,” explained Dr Shaukeen Singh.

In light of this growing threat, ophthalmologists have urged the government to ban the manufacture, sale, transport, and use of carbide-based firecrackers across India.

They also appealed to the public to remain vigilant and avoid buying these unsafe explosives.