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| Nerf guns can lead to serious eye injuries, doctors warn | Nerf guns can lead to serious eye injuries, doctors warn |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Bullets from Nerf guns can cause serious eye injuries, doctors from a London eye hospital are warning. | Bullets from Nerf guns can cause serious eye injuries, doctors from a London eye hospital are warning. |
| They treated three people with internal bleeding around the eye, pain and blurred vision after they were shot with the toy guns by children. | They treated three people with internal bleeding around the eye, pain and blurred vision after they were shot with the toy guns by children. |
| Writing in BMJ Case reports, the doctors recommended wearing protective eye goggles and said the safe age limit for the guns may need to be reviewed. | Writing in BMJ Case reports, the doctors recommended wearing protective eye goggles and said the safe age limit for the guns may need to be reviewed. |
| Hasbro warns players not to aim Nerf guns at the eyes or face. | Hasbro warns players not to aim Nerf guns at the eyes or face. |
| On its packaging, it also advises that only bullets designed for the product should be used. | On its packaging, it also advises that only bullets designed for the product should be used. |
| The BBC contacted the company for comment but has not yet received a reply. | The BBC contacted the company for comment but has not yet received a reply. |
| Force and speed | Force and speed |
| Nerf guns, made by Hasbro, are designed for children aged eight and over. | Nerf guns, made by Hasbro, are designed for children aged eight and over. |
| The company also sells replacement bullets or darts - but cheaper versions are also available online from other retailers. | The company also sells replacement bullets or darts - but cheaper versions are also available online from other retailers. |
| The eye experts, from Accident & Emergency at Moorfields Eye Hospital, said the unlabelled bullet heads were harder and could potentially cause more damage - something that parents may not realise. | The eye experts, from Accident & Emergency at Moorfields Eye Hospital, said the unlabelled bullet heads were harder and could potentially cause more damage - something that parents may not realise. |
| In their report, they describe the injuries of two adults and a child in separate incidents linked to Nerf guns. | In their report, they describe the injuries of two adults and a child in separate incidents linked to Nerf guns. |
| One 32-year-old man was shot in the eye from eight metres away by a child with a Nerf gun. He suffered blurred vision and a red eye. | One 32-year-old man was shot in the eye from eight metres away by a child with a Nerf gun. He suffered blurred vision and a red eye. |
| A 43-year-old woman was shot in her right eye from a distance of one metre and complained of blurred vision and a red, sore eye. | A 43-year-old woman was shot in her right eye from a distance of one metre and complained of blurred vision and a red, sore eye. |
| An 11-year-old child also suffered a shot in his right eye from a distance of two metres, and complained of pain and blurred vision. | An 11-year-old child also suffered a shot in his right eye from a distance of two metres, and complained of pain and blurred vision. |
| He developed swelling of the outer layer of the eye (cornea), and the inner layer of the eye (retina), from the force and speed of the bullet fired by the gun. | He developed swelling of the outer layer of the eye (cornea), and the inner layer of the eye (retina), from the force and speed of the bullet fired by the gun. |
| All the patients were examined and treated with eye drops, the researchers said. | All the patients were examined and treated with eye drops, the researchers said. |
| Check-ups after a few weeks showed that their sight had returned to normal. | Check-ups after a few weeks showed that their sight had returned to normal. |
| 'Protective eyewear' | 'Protective eyewear' |
| While it was good news for the three patients, the doctors said that projectiles like Nerf gun bullets travelling at speed could cause long-term loss of vision. | While it was good news for the three patients, the doctors said that projectiles like Nerf gun bullets travelling at speed could cause long-term loss of vision. |
| One patient told the doctors that there were "numerous online videos which show children how to modify their guns to make them shoot harder, faster and further distance". | One patient told the doctors that there were "numerous online videos which show children how to modify their guns to make them shoot harder, faster and further distance". |
| They added: "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 added: "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." |
| But they said more research was needed to find out if eye injuries were on the rise as a result of toy guns. | But they said more research was needed to find out if eye injuries were on the rise as a result of toy guns. |
| The authors said they could not advise on a safe distance for shooting to avoid eye injuries on the basis of three patients. | The authors said they could not advise on a safe distance for shooting to avoid eye injuries on the basis of three patients. |