- Doctors have now said Nerf guns are dangerous and children must wear goggles
- Experts said that the foam darts risked causing internal bleeding around the eye
- It comes after three patients in three months attended an eye hospital in London
For years Nerf guns have been a favourite with boisterous youngsters.
But now doctors say the toys, which fire foam darts, are dangerous – and users must wear protective goggles in case they are shot in the eye.
Experts said the darts risked causing internal bleeding around the eye as well as vision issues.
It comes after three patients in three months attended Moorfields Eye Hospital in London after being shot in the eye with a Nerf gun from distances of 3ft to 26ft.
Doctors say the toys, which fire foam darts, are dangerous – and users must wear protective goggles in case they are shot in the eye
An 11-year-old had a type of swelling that could cause vision loss.
The child and the other two patients – a man, 32, and a 43-year-old woman – were treated with medicated eye drops and recovered.
In journal BMJ Case Reports, the doctors said: ‘This emphasises the seriousness of ocular injury from Nerf gun projectiles and calls into consideration the need for protective eyewear with their use.
‘Nerf gun injuries can cause serious ocular trauma, as bullets travel at high speed.’
Experts said the darts risked causing internal bleeding around the eye as well as vision issues
The Nerf Rival gun fires foam balls at up to 68mph.
Doctors warned cheaper, non-branded bullets could be even more dangerous as they were harder – while YouTube videos showed children how they could modify the toys to make them shoot ‘harder, faster, further’.
Nerf sells protective face masks, but these are sold separately for £14.99.
Manufacturer Hasbro said products meet or exceed regulations. It said users should never aim at a person’s face, and use only Nerf darts.