Diwali is the time of the year when our nation’s children are on holiday and festivities are rampant. Sadly this fun time for children is also when firecrackers and fireworks are available in plenty. The word “firecrackers” evokes quite a bit of emotion and is often associated with great joy but one must realize that the chemical smoke and gases released from firecrackers can be regarded as a serious concern for the capacity of eyes for children.

It is shocking to know that mothers and fathers have been using firecrackers for this long despite it being scientifically proven to be a pollutant and one that can heavily damage children’s eyesight.

But now, as a parent, most people see things differently—firecracker smoke, while dazzling, risks young eyes and health. From choosing eco-friendly lights and indoor activities, ensuring a festive, safe celebration for your children’s well-being is important and necessary. Dr. Neeraj Sanduja, MBBS, MS - Ophthalmology, Ophthalmologist, Eye Surgeon shares all about the toxic effects of smoke from the firecrackers kids so lovingly enjoy bursting and how harmful they can be for their eyes.

Hazardous Effects of Firecracker Smoke

The smoke from firecrackers is a blend of toxic chemicals and fine particles, each carrying potential harm for the delicate tissues of the eyes. Here are some key pollutants present in firecracker smoke that pose specific dangers:

Particulate matter: These are the fumes exhaled from burning that are extremely small but can infiltrate deep into the lungs and eyes creating lesions and scars.

Sulfur dioxide & nitrogen oxides: These gasses emit acid rain, it's easy to comprehend how detrimental it is to the human body.

Heavy metals: If consumed through the skin lead arsenic or any other toxic metals emitted through firecrackers will inflict great damage.

Common Eye Conditions Linked to Firecracker Pollution in Children

Exposure to firecracker smoke can cause a range of immediate symptoms in children, as well as chronic eye problems that may not become apparent until much later. Children are at high risk of developing some symptoms upon exposure to firecracker smoke, and these include:

Red eye syndrome: Clinical eye examinations show that the eyes can be red and watery, as well as itchy due to the smoke's chemicals.

Eye pain: Another common complaint in children is a burning and stinging sensation in the eye areas.

Intolerance to light: The burning of firecrackers leads to the emission of smoke that can irritate the eyes and increase their sensitivity.

Corneal damage: Severe inflammation of the outer layer of the eyeball caused by exposure to smoke may be a more damaging injury caused than previously mentioned damages of the inner layer.

Long-Term Effects of Firecracker Smoke on Eye Health

While some eye issues may appear right after exposure, others may develop subtly and manifest over time, resulting in chronic eye conditions. Dr Neeraj exclaims, "Of great concern is the fact that parents may not notice these initial signs and the signs that are causes are others since these are only some of the diseases that are dangerous but children who continuously come into contact with air polluted by firecrackers may consider the following risks:

Cataracts

Glaucoma

Dry eye syndrome

Tips for Protecting Children’s Eyes During Diwali

Parents can observe the following measures to shield their children's eyes from the harmful effects of firecracker smoke:

Avoid exposure: In the first place, the best way to avoid damaging children’s eyes is to prevent any contact with firecracker smoke. Encourage children to remain in the house or in well-ventilated areas during a firework display.

Wear protective eyewear: In the event that children have to go outside during a firework display, they should wear protective eyewear such as goggles or sunglasses.

Rinse eyes thoroughly: In case of exposure of firework smoke to the child’s eyes, the affected eyes should be washed with plenty of clean water.

Seek medical attention: If a child suffers from intense pain in the eyes, redness in the eyes or any changes in vision after exposure to cracker smoke, he/she should be taken to a medical facility as soon as possible.

Parental Guidance During Diwali

1.⁠ ⁠Educate Children on Firecracker Safety

2.⁠ ⁠Monitor Air Quality Index (AQI)

3.⁠ ⁠Plan Indoor Activities During Peak Pollution Hours

4.⁠ ⁠Encourage Healthy Eye Habits (Regular Exams, Hygiene)

Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Firecrackers

1.⁠ ⁠Eco-Friendly Firecrackers

2.⁠ ⁠Laser Light Shows

3.⁠ ⁠Community Events (Parades, Festivals)

4.⁠ ⁠Indoor Games and Activities

5.⁠ ⁠Environmentally Conscious Celebrations

Firecrackers undoubtedly liven up the festivities; however, the use of firecrackers and their impact on the health of children has caused a lot of concern, especially their vision. It has become crucial to protect young developing eyes from fire cracker pollution which is harmful to them, especially in the long run. In this manner, we are able to assist in the preservation of our children’s eyesight and create safe and happy festive occasions for everyone.

Dianna Cowern, the science communicator with more than two million YouTube subscribers, was at the peak of her career in 2022. Featuring millions of views, her YouTube channel ‘Physics Girl’, featured her travelling across the world filming science videos. She had also recently married her longtime partner, Kyle Kitzmiller.

Then, after contracting COVID-19 during her honeymoon in Scotland, her life took a turn in ways she could not have anticipated.

What initially started off as a mild infection was followed by a sharp decline in her physical and mental health. A hike she had planned with her husband became an impossible task for her. After that rest no longer seemed to help her recover.

Cowern's experience highlights the disabling effects of Long COVID, a condition that researchers are still trying to understand.

She recalled the time when her symptoms escalated, “Brain fog like I'd never experienced before. I couldn't walk. I couldn't think. I had nausea and headaches,” she said. “And I never recovered from that crash.”

From An Active Life To Confined To Bed

Also read: Long COVID: Mouth And Lung Bacteria May Offer Clues

According to KPBS, Cowern's initial COVID-19 symptoms included a sore throat, cough and stuffy nose. After they subsided, she and Kitzmiller began a multiday hike they had planned for months. By the third day, she was struggling to recover even after resting and had to take a cab to the next location while her husband continued on foot.

The couple cut their honeymoon short and returned to San Diego. Her health continued to decline. She first lost the ability to run and hike, then struggled to work and walk. Eventually, she became unable to speak, read or use her phone.

Sensitivity to light and sound left her spending her days in a dark room, wearing dark glasses and noise-cancelling headphones to limit stimulation. Kitzmiller became her full-time caregiver.

He also recalled episodes in which her heart rate dropped into the 30s. He used a pulse monitor with an alarm and slept waiting for it to sound. “Every day I didn't know if she was just gonna die,” he said.

The couple sought medical help, but tests failed to provide clear answers. Kitzmiller described the response they had received from doctors. He said they said, “There's not a real disease here.”

Long COVID Is Part Of Post-Acute Infection Syndromes

Also read: Long COVID Symptoms Are Closer To A Stroke Or Parkinson's Disease Than Fatigue

Long COVID refers to symptoms that occur after a SARS-CoV-2 infection and cannot be explained by another diagnosis. Symptoms vary widely and may include fatigue, cognitive difficulties, breathlessness, sleep disturbances and problems with everyday activities.

Some people improve over time, while others experience prolonged illness that affects their ability to lead routine lives.

Long COVID is also part of a bigger group of conditions known as post-acute infection syndromes, in which people continue to experience symptoms after an infection has gone.

Researchers are examining possible explanations behind Long COVID, including prolonged immune dysfunction and other changes triggered by infection.

Treatments Improved Symptoms But Road To Recovery Was Far

With few established treatment alternatives available, Cowern explored options suggested by researchers, although they were not approved for Long COVID. She reported a significant improvement after trying some of them.

“I was able to start looking at my phone again and reading and listening to music, which was amazing,” she said. “And then everything improved.”

After three years, she eventually returned to making science videos. But her return has not meant a full recovery. Cowern says that she is functioning at around 30% to 40% of her previous capacity.

She and Kitzmiller are now using their platform to raise awareness about chronic illness. Kitzmiller has also joined an advisory committee for clinical trials investigating a treatment that helped her.

“There’s still a lot to learn,” Cowern said. “There's so little that's understood about this disease, but I will say that everyone that has it is desperate to live again.”

Air pollution, chemicals that interfere with hormonal health and stress due to climate may be contributing to South Asia’s growing burden of diabetes and heart disease. The Lancet study has highlighted the importance of considering other factors than diet and physical inactivity when addressing metabolic health.

A paper published in The Lancet Regional Health – Southeast Asia argues that the environmental conditions people face throughout their lives could play a key role in worsening cardiometabolic health.

The authors specifically point to a combination of exposures, from fine particulate matter in polluted air to chemicals in consumer products, that could influence how body regulates blood sugar, stores fat and maintains healthy blood vessels.

The paper, titled South Asia’s cardiometabolic burden: exposomal determinants of a health transition, was authored by Misra and Yashendra Sethi of the Department of Medicine at Subharti Medical College, Swami Vivekanand Subharti University, Meerut.

Effects Of Environmental Exposures On Metabolic Health

Also read: Delhi Air Pollution: Experts Explain Why You Feel Unusually Tired When AQI Rises

The authors use the term “exposome” to denote the range of environmental factors a person sees over their lifetime living in a particular city. These include air pollution, chemical contaminants, dietary patterns, sleep pattern and stress.

Fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, is the primary concern, according to the authors. These tiny airborne particles can seep deep into the lungs and cause inflammation that could worsen cardiovascular and respiratory illness.

The paper also highlights how prolonged exposure may contribute to metabolic dysfunction, including oxidative stress, insulin resistance and damage to the lining of blood vessels.

Chemical exposures are another area of concern. Bisphenols, phthalates and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), found in various industrial and consumer applications, can interfere with hormone health. Depending on the level of exposure, these chemicals may have an effect on insulin sensitivity, appetite and fat cells in the body.

Other lifestyle will only fuel these risks. Irregular sleep, shift work and disrupted body clocks can interfere with metabolic health, while unhealthy diets featuring ultra-processed foods and stress may contribute to inflammation and other reasons that lead to chronic diseases.

The authors say that these overlapping exposures could help explain why conditions like type 2 diabetes, steatotic liver disease and cardiovascular disease are becoming alarming public health concerns in South Asia. However, the contribution of individual exposures and their combined effects requires further investigation.

South Asians Face Greater Risks Of Chronic Diseases

South Asians can develop type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease at younger ages and at lower body mass index levels than many Western populations. The paper places the region’s rapid economic and social transformation behind this vulnerability.

It means that generations that experienced undernutrition for centuries now live in environments influenced by urbanisation, better transport, changing diets and greater exposure to pollution. Biological tendencies towards energy storage may interact with these newer conditions, increasing metabolic risk.

Across the Asia-Pacific region, the burden of cardiometabolic disease, measured in life years after adjusting disability, rose between 1.7-fold and 3.7-fold from 1990 to 2023.

Also read: Rising AQI In Delhi-NCR: Doctors Warn Of Lung And Heart Risks As Pollution Builds

Approach For Prevention

The authors argue that advice on eating well, exercising and sleeping adequately remains important, but they cannot help when people have limited control over the air they breathe or the environmental quality.

The paper recommends monitoring environmental exposures, intervening early in life, strengthening food policies, and conducting long-term research to understand how exposures influence cardiometabolic outcomes.

The boom in GLP-1 weight loss drugs is not only affecting the obesity market but also reshaping the beauty industry. Changes in consumer behaviour among those who use GLP-1 drugs is evident as people may see differences in their appearance after drastic weight loss. This phenomenon has prompted global beauty companies to explore products for people experiencing changes in their appearance after losing weight.

French cosmetics giant L’Oréal is among the companies exploring this emerging market segment. Its CEO, Nicolas Hieronimus, said the increasing use of these medications was affecting beauty and skincare consumption, compelling the company to explore products that address concerns like sagging skin after extreme weight loss.

“The rise in their (GLP-1 drugs) use was having an impact on beauty consumption and skin care consumption in particular,” Hieronimus said during an investor call on October 22, after the company's third-quarter results came out.

The development mirrors an important shift in the beauty industry as weight loss medications like Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound become more widely used for weight management.

Amid the growing market for these drugs, companies are now seeing increased demand for treatments that help changes in facial volume, skin firmness and elasticity after weight loss.

However, the science behind ‘Ozempic face’ is far more complicated than the name suggests. Experts say these changes are generally associated with losing facial fat during weight loss, especially when it happens rapidly.

What is ‘Ozempic Face’?

‘Ozempic face’ is an informal term for facial changes that occur after rapid and substantial weight loss. It is marked by hollowing around the cheeks and temples and more noticeable wrinkles or sagging skin.

GLP-1 medicines, including semaglutide and tirzepatide, act on appetite regulation, helping people feel fuller for a long time and reducing their calorie intake. As a result, some people lose a substantial amount of weight over a short period.

Beauty Companies Respond to GLP-1 Boom

Apart from L’Oréal, Swiss skincare company Galderma and Brazilian cosmetics group Natura are also seeing similar demands from consumers experiencing changes in their facial skin after medicated weight loss.

L’Oréal has said that it is testing products on people using GLP-1 medications. Its SkinCeuticals range also has products intended to address concerns such as skin sagging, according to Hieronimus.

“We have products in SkinCeuticals that are made to work alongside GLP-1 drugs and address their side effects, such as skin sagging and other related issues. It is very integrated,” he said.

Galderma, in which L’Oréal holds a 20% stake, has assessed some of its existing aesthetic treatments for changes due to GLP-1 use. Its portfolio includes Sculptra, an injectable that stimulates collagen, and Restylane, a range of hyaluronic acid-based dermal fillers.

Anne-Cecile Chevrier, Galderma's global head of injectable aesthetics, described the concerns that experts are seeing among consumers. “Sagginess is a concern, loss of firmness is a concern, some hollowness can be of concern and dullness can be a concern,” she said.

Can Skincare Products Reverse ‘Ozempic Face’?

The expansion of this market does not necessarily mean that skincare products can reverse facial changes due to rapid weight loss.

The skin has several layers, and topical products act on the skin's surface. Facial fat loss happens when fat accumulated beneath the skin melts off. Skincare products cannot simply replace this process.

Dr Graeme Glass, a plastic and craniofacial surgeon and aesthetic director at British beauty brand LYMA, explained the limitations of topical treatments. “They can't reposition the deep fat pads of the face. There is a limit to what these things can do,” he said.

Moisturisers and other products may help improve hydration, texture and the appearance of fine lines. But these benefits should not be confused with correcting sagging skin.

Treatments like fillers and collagen injectables may address these concerns directly, but they involve different risks, costs and clinical considerations.

Avani Sinha, MD, and FACE endocrinologist and program director of the Northwell Health Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism fellowship told Women's Health Magazine that it is important to take care of nutrition and muscle-building to "fill up spaces where you are losing that skin laxity".

“We are what we eat, we are what we do,” she said, stating that protein intake is especially important on a GLP-1. She suggested aiming 0.8 to 1.8 grams per kilogram of body weight.

Sinha also recommended staying hydrated along with strength training to build muscle. “You build up that muscle, you're going to fill up those spaces where you're losing that skin laxity,” she said.