Season two of the hit medical drama “The Pitt” takes place on the Fourth of July. The episodes show a surge of emergency room (ER) cases on the holiday, from heat strokes to lost fingers caused by fireworks.
But one serious injury was missing: eye trauma.
“In real life, we see devastating eye injuries in the ER every Fourth of July,” said Michele Lim, professor and ophthalmologist at the UC Davis Health Eye Center.
“Some patients come in with ‘globe’ injuries — damage to the eye itself. Sadly, these injuries, usually from fireworks, can threaten or permanently take away someone’s vision,” Lim said.
Fireworks can also cause burns, scratches on the eye, and damage to the retina — all of which can cause permanent eye damage and vision loss.