August was Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month. Prevent Blindness instituted the awareness month to inspire parents and educators to prioritize children’s vision as they wrap out summer and head back to school. We’re all for it because we believe eye health is vital all year long no matter what age you are. And although August may have come and gone, good vision is timeless. And that’s reason enough to declare this Thursday #TBT to Children’s Eye Health and Safety.
Prevent Blindness put together a variety of resources so parents and kids could learn together about their vision and what they can do to protect it. Check out these fun, educational resources that bring parents and kids together with a single mission: to learn and save their vision.
We’ve also put our own lists together of simple things you can do for yourself and your kids to prepare for the best vision of your lives.
Vision care tips for kids
Your Kids Vision Tips
- Get an annual eye exam
Catching vision problems early is the key to saving kids from the suffering and embarrassment of poor vision. If your child is losing their place while reading, exhibiting clumsiness during activities, taking too long doing homework or pointing to words while reading, they may have a vision problem. Make sure to schedule an eye exam every year to keep your kids’ vision at its peak performance.
- Wear proper eyewear when outside
Sunglasses should always be a given. But if your child plays sports, it can be easy to let the sometimes cumbersome eye protection slide by. But not only can the right safety goggles protect their eyes against injury—they can also cut the glare and protect against the damaging UV rays.
- Talk to your doc about Ortho-K
Ortho-K (Orthokeratology) is a simple, nighttime treatment that uses a contact lens to reshape the eye’s corneas during sleep. In the morning, kids (and adults too) simply remove the contact lens, and go about their day with great vision. Eyes typically maintain the new shape for up to 14 hours, and gradually return to their original shape. Ortho-K is an innovative treatment option for anyone under 18 who is too young for long-term solutions like LASIK or SMILE.
At Home Tips For Your Kids Vision
- Light their work areas
Eye safety doesn’t just matter when kids are at school. Making sure that after-school work sessions are properly lit is an important step in preventing childhood eye strain. Set up a good reading lamp wherever your kids do their evening homework or reading. They might not notice the difference now, but they’ll thank you one day.
- Monitor screen time
Eye strain from computer (and smartphone) use is increasing, and kids are suffering more frequently from blurry vision and focus problems. Keep an eye on your child’s electronics usage and institute 10-minute hourly breaks to keep their vision fresh and potentially help prevent nearsightedness.
Better vision isn’t just for kids
While you’re in the process of saving the vision of the kids in your life, make sure to take the preventative measures to protect and boost your own vision too. Here’s what you can do to help your vision stays healthy long into the future.
Vision care tips for adults
Vision Tips for Mom and Dad
- Schedule an eye exam
If you don’t have any major vision concerns, you should plan to visit your ophthalmologist every two years. If you’re having eye issues, talk to your eye doctor about how often you should have your eyesight checked. Depending on your vision needs and goals, your doctor can recommend treatment options that can improve your vision exponentially.
- Boost your nutrition
Eating the right foods can nourish your eyes and keep them at their healthiest. Foods like carrots, broccoli, spinach and sweet potatoes are rich in vital minerals and vitamins. Make sure to get plenty of Omega-3-rich foods too, like salmon and fatty fish. Check out this list of eye-healthy foods you should add to your diet.
- Shade your eyes
Wearing hats and sunglasses can help protect your eyes against UV damage, which can lead to things like cataracts and macular degeneration. If you’re already experiencing these problems, or want to know how to prevent them, get a free consultation to learn the best course of action for your vision for today and the future.
- Manage your health
Chronic health conditions, like diabetes or high blood pressure, can wreak havoc throughout your body, including causing inflammation of your eye’s optic nerve. Talk to your doctor about what you need to do to manage any health conditions you might have so you can feel your best from head to toe.
Vision matters across the life spectrum. Whether you’re school age, in your 20s, 40s, or 60s and beyond, there are practical steps you can take to keep your vision at its best. Want to know more? Book a free consultation with one of our world-renown ophthalmologists by calling 888-539-2211 or emailing [email protected].
