Video footage of firecrackers, 30-year-old man at risk of permanent blindness
On January 26, 2026, the Central Eye Hospital received patient Le Van H (30 years old, residing in Dai Dong commune, Bac Ninh province) in a state of severe left eye damage due to firecrackers.
According to the account, while going to a feast, seeing many people gathering to watch firecrackers explode, Mr. H stood about 10m away from the firecracker cake and used his phone to film a clip. Suddenly, a firecracker splashed directly into his left eye, causing him severe pain and completely losing his eyesight.
Through examination, Dr. Tham Truong Khanh Van - Head of the Department of Trauma, Central Eye Hospital said that the patient had a broken iris, intraocular hemorrhage, broken glass, very severe damage, and poor vision prognosis.
Previously, on January 23, 2026, the hospital received patient Do Dai M (21 years old, Thai Nguyen City) after being treated for severe body burns at the National Institute of Burns.
According to family members, M. was born deaf and mute, while playing, she stood watching a group of people making homemade firecrackers when a large explosion occurred. The two people who directly made the firecrackers had their arms and legs amputated, while M. suffered burns all over her body and severe injuries to both eyes.
Doctors said that the patient's two eyes were severely burned, crushed eyeballs, glass displacement, scars and corneal opacity, facing the risk of permanent blindness.
9th grade student loses vision due to mortar fire
On January 24, 2026, patient Vu Nam P (15 years old, 9th grade student, Hai Phong City) was taken to the hospital for emergency treatment after being hit by mortar fire, flying into his left eye at a distance of about 5m.
The examination results showed that the patient had torn eyeballs, torn cornea, conjunctival, and trapped eye sockets. Although he had emergency suture surgery and intensive treatment, his left eye could only count his fingers at a distance of 0.1m, with a very high risk of blindness.
Another case is patient Le Xuan T (44 years old, Thanh Hoa province) who was hospitalized on January 22, 2026 after a firework explosion related to a gas cylinder.
The explosion caused the patient to have his right hand amputated, his wrist bruised, and both eyes had broken glass, torn cornea, torn cornea, many foreign objects inside the eye, and his vision was only a hand shadow at a distance of 0.2m.
Warning about increasing eye accidents near Tet
According to doctors at the Central Eye Hospital, every time Tet Nguyen Dan approaches, the number of accidents and eye injuries increases dramatically, in which firecrackers are a particularly dangerous cause. Most cases leave serious sequelae, seriously affecting vision, working ability and long-term life.
Besides firecrackers, many other eye accidents are also increasing due to drinking alcohol and falling, exploding mini gas cylinders, sharp objects, and glass shards hitting the eyes.
Doctors recommend to people: Absolutely do not make, store, or use illegal firecrackers; Do not stand and watch firecrackers explode, even at a distance; Children and teenagers do not contact or test firecrackers in any form; Be careful with the risk of fire and explosion, sharp objects, and chemicals; Equip fully with labor protection when working in dangerous environments; When eye injuries occur, do not arbitrarily handle them at home, and should immediately go to an ophthalmology specialized facility for timely emergency treatment.
