Children’s Eye Health Tips | Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month

August starts Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month. The blog below takes a look at ways to keep your children’s eyes healthy and maintain good vision. 
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We do our best to keep our kids healthy and safe, and that includes their vision. Although eye diseases are more common in adults, they can also occur in children. Additionally, eye injuries can also develop in kids. According to Boston Children’s Hospital, in the United States, about one-third of the 2. 4 million eye injuries occur in children 17 or younger.  

Why do eye injuries and illnesses occur in kids? 

Eye illnesses and injuries occur in children for many of the same reasons they develop in adults. Children can develop some common eye problems generally considered to be age-related, such as glaucoma. In children, the development of these eye diseases usually is related to a genetic condition.

Children also develop eye injuries, such as trauma to the eyes from sports injuries, falls, and foreign objects in the eye. 
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Keeping kids eyes healthy 

There are several things you can do to help protect your child’s vision and keep their eyes healthy. Consider the following suggestions:

Recognize problems early: Spotting changes in your child’s vision and seeing an eye doctor can help correct problems before they become worse. In older kids, eye issues may be easy to recognize. It may be as simple as your child telling you they are having certain symptoms, but in younger children, it may be harder to spot. Signs your child may be having vision issues include:

• Squinting to see
• Headaches
• Blurry vision
• Trouble doing school work
• Unusual head tilting
• Excessive blinking

If you are not sure your child’s behavior is related to their vision, it is best to get it checked out.

Teach eye safety: From a young age, try to teach kids the importance of eye safety. Instruct children to carry sharp objects with the pointy end down. Also, promote frequent handwashing and teach children that wear contacts proper handling. Always remind kids when using sprays to point the nozzle ways from their eyes. Teaching eye safety from a young age will instill good habits.

Promote healthy lifestyle behaviors: Healthy habits are not just essential in adults. They are also important in children. In fact, instilling healthy lifestyle habits helps set a child up for good practices as an adult. Promote exercise and healthy eating, which both are good for your eyes.

Wear sunglasses: Damage from UV rays from the sun is accumulative, and damage can start in childhood. Encourage kids to wear sunglasses that provide 100 percent UV protection. 

Use protective eyewear: If your child participates in certain sports, be sure to have them wear the appropriate eye protection. Sports that involve a ball, such as racquetball and hockey, can lead to eye injuries. Also, model good eye protection by wearing eye goggles when doing activities that involve power tools or when using chemicals. 

Avoid excessive eye rubbing: If you see your child rubbing their eyes excessively, find out if their eyes are itching or irritated. Excessive eye rubbing can increase their risk of developing an eye infection. Bacteria from their fingers can easily be transferred into the eyes from rubbing.

Give the eyes a break: Even little kids may be using electronic devices, such as tablets and computers. Using digital devices too long can cause eyestrain. Teach your kids the 20-20-20 break. Tell them every 20 minutes to take a break from their digital devices and look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Better yet, encourage your children to put the electronic devices down for a while and get involved in another activity.

If you have any questions about ways to protect your children’s vision, or if you would like to ask whether an appointment with one of our eye doctors would be appropriate at this time, call our office at 508-746-8600. 
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