Nebraska Medicine and Eye On July discussed firework eye injury prevention

OMAHA, Neb. —

The Fourth of July is about to get a little safer.

Nebraska Medicine ophthalmologist Dr. Rao Chundury and his children are promoting fireworks safety through their nonprofit, Eye On July, while providing more than 10,000 pairs of free safety glasses at locations across Nebraska.

The effort was inspired by the number of serious eye injuries Dr. Chundury treats around the Independence Day holiday each year.

“I’d be routinely called in for urgent cases, and the kids kind of picked up on that. Back in 2022, they handed out a bunch of safety glasses to all of our neighbors,” Chundury said.

What began as a neighborhood project has grown into a statewide initiative. This year, Eye On July is distributing safety glasses at 70 locations, including 10 Nebraska Medicine clinics, public libraries and other community partners.

Chundury’s daughter, Reeya, said the goal is to prevent injuries with a simple solution.

“We recognized that there was a big issue that could be solved. Just by wearing this protective eyewear, we could save a lot of people’s vision,” she said.

Dr. Chundury says fireworks can burn at temperatures exceeding 2,000 degrees and can cause serious burns and eye injuries if they malfunction or are used improperly. He encourages families to carefully follow manufacturers’ instructions, designate one person to light fireworks, and wear protective eyewear, even if they’re only watching.

The Chundury family hopes the initiative continues to grow and inspire others to serve their communities.

Free safety glasses are available while supplies last. A complete list of pickup locations can be found at Eye On July’s website.

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