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BULLETS FROM NERF guns can cause serious eye injuries, doctors from a London eye hospital have warned.
The warning comes after three people, two adults and one child, were presented to hospital on separate occasions with serious eye injuries after being shot at by a Nerf gun.
All three patients were in pain, had blurred vision and all had internal bleeding in the eye, according to doctors from the Moorfields Eye Hospital.
One of the three patients was a child, who had also developed swelling of the outer layer of the eye, the cornea, and the inner layer of the eye, the retina, from the force and speed of the bullet fired by the gun.
The patients were given eye drops, and when they went for their check-ups their sight had returned and the bleeding had stopped.
However, writing in the BMJ, the doctors warned that these types of injuries can have a serious impact.
They said that a projectile Nerf bullet travelling at high speed can cause irreversible damage.
Children should protect their eyes when playing with these guns, they advise.
“Sports in which the risk of [eye] trauma is relatively high, such as squash ball, have seen an introduction of protective eyewear in the UK,” the authors wrote.
“This case series emphasises the seriousness of [eye] injury from Nerf gun projectiles and calls into consideration the need for protective eyewear with their use,” they said.
One of the injured patients commented that the bullets, also known as darts, were generic versions and were harder than the branded versions. This is something that parents may not be aware of, the authors said.
They suggested that the safe age limit may need to be reviewed. Most Nerf products are aged 8 and over.
In a statement to TheJournal.ie, Hasbro, the company who makes Nerf guns, said:
“Product safety is of utmost concern at Hasbro. Nerf products are designed based on years of consumer insights and research, and undergo rigorous reviews and testing to assure that they are safe and fun to play with, and meet or exceed global standards and regulations.”
Hasbro said that Nerf foam bullets and foam rounds are not hazardous when used properly.
Consumers must never aim Nerf blasters at a person’s eyes or face, should only use the foam darts and foam rounds designed for specific Nerf blasters, and never modify darts or blasters.
“The Nerf brand encourages parents and caregivers to be involved in aspects of their children’s development, including play,” Hasbro said.
“Ultimately, a parent or caregiver knows his or her child best and is best equipped to make decisions on what forms of play and entertainment are most appropriate for his or her child.”
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In other news, water is still wet.
@Thought for Food: Wear goggles.
Eating stones and gum off the pavement never killed me.
Kids these days need to toughen up a bit.
Parents raising their kids wrapped in cotton wool.
Get em out there and eat some worms ffs.
@Eddie Binbags: oh yeah, I used to pick chewing gum off the footpaths be abuse I wasn’t allowed it. I’m still here. Kids will be kids, gotta learn to not aim for the eyes at some stage.
@Veronica: It did give you brain rot judging by some of your comments here.
The only toys that should be allowed are bags of cotton wool.. Can’t be too safe. Proper order imo
@Acedeuce: kids can choke and die. No wool for kids.
@Shawn O’Ceallaghan: no bags either
@Brown Boots: they could suffocate.
So can pencils and other pointy objects.
@Paul Freeman: Children shouldn’t be allowed to be awake without sturdy mittens
It’s about time some guidance was issued by the manafacturers of these toys , I’m still waiting on clear instructions to be placed on steak knives , but in the meantime my kids have faces like sieves .
@Paddy Hayden: Bring in training and background checks I say
@Liam flag: A two week waiting period while the police do a background check sounds like the plan alright , but I’d be afraid my kids would starve not being able to cut their steaks up in the meantime .
Cotton wool and bubble wrap for every kid, can’t be having anything too dangerous now….
Seriously, why are we breeding a generation of wimps? Send your kids out to climb a tree, throw rocks at each other, get bashed and brused and home at 6pm for dinner like we used to.
Cigerettes causes cancer.
Alcohol causes memory loss.
@Shawn O’Ceallaghan: and to much of that makes you go… Ah what is it they say, uh, I need a pint, I’ll remember then.
Takes this off the shelves with immediate effect .
Bring back the gallybanders , firing the little u shaped copper wire , many an eye nearly lost to them where I grew up. We are all still alive.
@cars: Jinx…remember those. a snipped piece of insulation wire, lethal.Is is a Waterford thing?
@John Quill: Possibly ,we used to have battles with neighbouring housing estates , great fun. Loved going on the scrounge for wire too. Kept us occupied for days.
I got a bad injury from a spud gun once. Haven’t seen one in years, are they banned now?
One of the neighbour’s kids was sticking nails into the bullets, which will definitely cause damage. Could have killed the little demon.
A nerf is a nerf.
It’s nerf or nothin
Whats next…Gallybanders to be banned?
So can climbing a tree
Bring back the Spud Gun!
You’d want to have some nerf to shoot me!
jesus when we were kids we had battles we niebouring kids useing bricks
have your say