The sale of protective firework glasses is set to reach up to 600,000 pairs this New Year, compared with 450,000 last year and just 55,000 in 2007, the Telegraaf reports.

Last year, hospitals treated 297 people with eye damage due to fireworks. One sixth of them suffered permanent damage and 25 eyes were blinded.
Fewer than half the victims were lighting fireworks at the time of the accident.