Third-party bullets for Nerf guns can cause serious eye injuries, doctors from the Accident & Emergency department at Moorfields Eye Hospital have warned.
The doctors 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 should be reviewed.
Hasbro warns users not to aim Nerf guns at the eyes or face on external packaging and advised that only bullets designed for the product should be used. The company sells replacement bullets or darts, but cheaper versions are also available online from other retailers. Doctors said these unlabelled bullet heads were harder and could potentially cause more damage, something that parents would not always recognise.