New Year’s Eve Fireworks Safety 2020

In 2020 fireworks purchases for New Year’s Eve are on track to double from last New Year’s Eve and comparable to sales for New Year’s Eve 1999. Personal safety is of the utmost concern. I cannot put enough emphasis on the danger of fireworks.

• Be aware that hand sanitizer is alcohol based and is flammable and having it on your hands can catch fire so wear gloves to protect your hands.
• Kids should never play with fireworks. Things like firecrackers, rockets, and sparklers are just too dangerous. Make sure to keep them outside and away from the face, clothing, and hair. Sparklers can reach 1,800°F (982°C) — hot enough to melt gold.
• Buy only legal fireworks - Legal fireworks are labeled with the manufacturer's name and directions, store them in a cool, dry place. Illegal fireworks usually go by the names M-80, M100, blockbuster, or quarter pounder. These explosives were banned in 1966, but still account for many fireworks injuries.
• Never try to make your own fireworks.
• Always use fireworks outside, never light fireworks indoors and have a bucket of water and a hose nearby in case of an accident. 
• Never light fireworks within 150 feet of a structure.
• Steer clear of others setting off fireworks. They can backfire or shoot off in the wrong direction. 
• Never throw or point fireworks at someone, even as a joke. 
• Don't hold fireworks in your hand or have any part of your body over them while lighting. 
• Wear eye protection. 
• Don't carry fireworks in your pocket — the friction could set them off. 
• Point fireworks away from homes and vehicles, and keep away from brush and leaves and flammable substances.
• Light one firework at a time and move away quickly.
• Never relight a “dud”. 
• Never light a firework in a glass or metal container. 
• Don't allow kids to pick up pieces of fireworks after an event. Some may still be ignited and can explode at any time. 
• After fireworks complete their burning, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding it to prevent a trash fire.
• Alcohol and fireworks don’t mix-save the drinking until after the fireworks. 

Demonstrating the Dangers of Consumer Fireworks video National Fire Protection Association https://youtu.be/N0uMUH6jta0

If an injury by fireworks does occur get the injured immediately to a doctor or hospital by dialing 911!

If an eye injury occurs:

• Seek medical attention immediately.
• Do not remove any objects that are stuck in the eye.
• Do not apply pressure.
• Don’t touch or rub the eye, this can cause more damage.
• Don’t flush the eye with water. 
• Don’t try to apply ointment.

And let’s not forget the safety of our pets!

• Make sure your pets – cats and dogs alike – have identification tags with up-to-date information.
• Don’t bring your pets to a fireworks display, even a small one.
• If fireworks are being used near your home, put your pet in a safe, interior room to avoid exposure to the sound. Play calming music in the room your pet is confined to or give your pet a new or favorite toy to get its attention off of the noise.
• Make sure your pet has an identification tag, in case it runs off during a fireworks display. 
• Never shoot fireworks of any kind (consumer fireworks, sparklers, fountains, etc.) near pets. 
• If your pets are microchipped, make sure your contact information in the microchip registry is up-to-date. 
• Take a current photo of all of your cats, dogs – just in case. 
• If you’re hosting guests, ask them to help keep an eye on your pets to make sure they don’t escape. Placing notes on exit doors and gates can help both you and your guests remain vigilant.
• Keep sparklers, glow sticks, fireworks, and charcoal and kabob skewers away from curious pets. 

After the celebrations: 

• Check your yard for fireworks debris before allowing pets outside to play or relax. Even if you didn’t set off fireworks yourself, debris can make its way into your yard, where curious animals may pick it up to play with or eat.
• Check your pastures and remove debris to protect horses and livestock. 
• If you hosted guests, check both your yard and home for food scraps or other debris that might be dangerous to pets, such as food skewers. 

Be courteous – Don’t shoot fireworks off late at night

For some, fireworks can be a source of stress, especially for those Veterans and first responders who suffer from PTSD. The loud noises can sometimes be a trigger. Although not every individual who lives with PTSD may be affected, many Veterans are stepping up to raise awareness of those who might be.

Many with PTSD can mentally prepare for planned events, like ones that occur annually in their hometowns. But for some the unexpected rat-a-tat of firecrackers could bring them back to the battlefield and set them on edge. Especially when you get waken up at two, three o’clock in the morning, it brings back those memories.

Sources:

http://www.fireworkssafety.org/safety-tips/

https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/fireworks.html

https://www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/Fireworks_Report_2017.pdf?Jr0lMG0Z5QYQMTyUtYr_3GR.991BKn4l

www.nsc.org

https://www.avma.org/public/PetCare/Pages/July-4-Safety.aspx

https://usmc-mccs.org/articles/fireworks-and-ptsd-how-to-raise-awareness/

Images: https://images.app.goo.gl/7EBZPn6DPxSmsFWc6

Are you Joking – Holiday Edition

 

1)      What kind of Christmas music do elves like?

        a)  Wrap Music

2)      How does Santa deliver presents during a thunderstorm?

       a)  His sleigh is flown by Raindeer

3)      What do Snowmen call their offspring?

        a)  Chill-dren

4)      What is Jack Frost’s favorite part of the school day?

        a)  Snow and Tell

5)      What does the Gingerbread Man use to make his bed?

        a)  Cookie sheets

#eyegotcha

Early Parkinson’s disease Detection with an Eye Exam

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive disorder of the central nervous system that affects movement often including tremors mainly at rest, limb rigidity, gait and balance problems. Nerve cell damage in the brain causes dopamine levels to drop leading to the symptoms of PD.

Current diagnosis is based on symptoms. By the time symptoms are severe enough, 80% of dopaminergic cells have decayed in a specific area of the brain called substantia nigra. This means diagnosis is late into PD progress.

The cause remains unknown. Although there is no cure, treatment options vary. Scientist have been exploring ways to identify biomarkers for PD that can lead to earlier diagnosis and more tailored treatments to slow down the disease progression.

Disease progression is characterized by nerve cell decay that thins the walls of the retina. The retina is the layer of tissue that lines the back of the eyeball. The disease also affects the microvascular (microscopic blood vessels).

Research is being presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Scientist have determined a simple eye exam combined with powerful Artificial Intelligence (AI) machine learning technology could provide early detection of PD. The researchers deployed a type of AI called Support Vector Machine (SVM) learning that has been around since 1989. Using pictures of the back of the eye from patients with PD and control participants that do not have the disease, researchers are able to teach the SVM to detect signs of the disease on the images. The results suggested that the machine learning networks can classify PD based on retina vasculature with the key feature being smaller blood vessels.

This method further supports the theory that changes in brain physiology can be observed in the eye. The findings in this study show that brain disease can be diagnosed with simple imaging of the eye.

This new approach eliminates costly MRIs and CT scans. It uses basic photography commonly available in eye clinics. This research may also be applicable for diagnostics in identifying other brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s and MS.

#eyegotcha #parkinsonsdisease #AI #SVM

Sources:

www.mayoclinic.com

www.parkinson.org

www.ajmc.com

 

Image: 

www.shakeit up.org

Eye injury related from UV sanitizers for the Home

 

Amid the pandemic, some people are buying so-called germicidal ultraviolet lamps to protect against the new coronavirus. Demand for ultra violet (UV) wands has grown rapidly, promoted with government approval as coronavirus killers, but the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released safety warnings for consumers following reports of eye injuries, skin burns and other safety concerns from UV lamps and wands.


UV light has been used to stop pathogens for decades, but it takes the right kind of UV light, UVC light waves specifically, in the right amount. Many at home UV cleaning devices that claim to be germicidal are actually the wrong wavelength. UVC light is potentially more dangerous than UVA or UVB. This form of UV has the highest frequency, which also makes it the most high-energy type of UV light.

Doctors are reporting on several patients who used such devices to eliminate the virus from homes and offices, developed a painful condition called photokeratitis. Photokeratitis occurs when the cornea is overexposed to UV radiation from the sun or other sources. It is like having a sunburned eye. This condition affects the thin surface layer of the cornea (the clear front window of the eye) and the conjunctiva, which is the clear tissue covering the white part of the eye and the inside of the eyelids. The longer you are exposed to UV rays, the more severe your symptoms will be.

When using UV germicidal lamps, you need to follow manufacturer recommendations to prevent damage to the eyes. Many users were not aware of the manufacturer’s recommendations, and many were unknowingly exposed at work. The best way to keep viruses out of the home is still using the recommendations of the CDC:

· Wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap and water, don’t touch your face, eyes, nose and mouth. An alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol may be used if soap and water is unavailable.

Disinfect surfaces with:
Bleach solutions of 5 tablespoons (1/3rd cup) of 5.25–8.25% bleach per gallon of room temperature water will be effective for disinfection up to 24 hours.
Alcohol solutions with at least 70% alcohol may also be used.



#eyegotcha




Sources:

www.livescience.com

www.medicinenet.com

www.usnews.com

www.nypost.com



Image: www.nerdtechy.com

What is the Rarest Eye Color?

 

Eye color is a distinct part of a person's appearance. It is included on a driver’s license and other forms of identification. It is also one of the primary descriptors used in a missing person’s report.

Eye color is a trait that is controlled by multiple genes and often an intermediate heritage bowl characteristic. Eye color is determined by two distinct factors:

• The pigmentation of the eyes iris.
• The frequency-Dependence of the scattering of light by the turbid medium in the stroma of the iris. 

At one time every human in existence had brown eyes. As humans begin to migrate around the globe traits in humans begin to change. 

People in northern countries tend to have lighter colored eyes and skin. In comparison, darker eyes and skin color are more common in warmer southern regions. People in these regions tend to develop more melanin. 

The American Academy of ophthalmology (AAO) surveyed Americans to find out how prominent certain eye colors were: 

1. Brown eyes - 70% to 79%

2. Blue eyes- 8% to 10%

3. Hazel eyes-5%

4. Amber eyes-5%

5. Greyeyes 3%

6. Green eyes 2% 

Aside from the traditional eye colors people can also have what are known as:

1. Red or violet eyes which occur because of a lack of pigmentation in the eye. The lack of pigmentation exposes the blood vessels underneath and appear to be red or violet less than 1% of the world’s population has this condition also known as albinism.

2. Heterochromia this refers to people with two different colored eyes it can occur at birth or due to injury, medication or illnesses. Heterochromia is also in <1% of the population. 

Sources:

www.allaboutvision.com

www.verywellhealth.com

www.biology.com

www.worldatlas.com

  

Image: www.quora.com