Experts say Nerf guns and foam projectiles can still have serious risks.

Nerf guns can cause serious eye injuries, according to UK doctors who saw three people admitted to hospital after being on the receiving end of a foam bullet. 

All three patients - including an 11-year-old - were in pain and had blurred vision and internal eye bleeding. Although their bleeding eventually stopped and their eyesight returned, these types of injuries could cause irreversible blindness.

One of the three patients was a child, who had also 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.

The patients were given eye drops, and when they went for their check-ups their sight had returned completely and the bleeding had stopped.

These types of injuries can have a serious impact, say the authors of a new report in the journal BMJ Case Reports.

They say children should use eye protection when playing with these guns.

“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,” write the authors.

“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 add.

One of the injured patients commented that the bullets, also known as darts, were generic versions and were harder than the branded versions. Parents may not be aware of this, say the authors.

The study is accessible here.