Maintaining good vision is essential for children's development, social interactions, and overall well-being. Vision is especially important for school-age children - research shows that 80% of learning is through sight. As a parent, you want to do everything you can to help your child reach their full potential! Encouraging healthy habits can support your child's overall eye health. In this post, we're going to provide several tips for maintaining good vision.
1. Provide a Balanced Diet
A balanced, nutritious diet can help promote healthy vision in children. Ensure your child eats plenty of food rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids. Some examples include:
Leafy Greens
Fish
Eggs
Nuts
Beans
Sweet Potato
Strawberries
2. Stay Hydrated
Along with a balanced diet, it's important for children to drink plenty of water and stay hydrated throughout the day. Dehydration causes your eyes to produce fewer tears, which can lead to dry, scratchy, irritated eyes or blurred vision.
3. Encourage Outdoor Activities
Spending plenty of time outdoors has been shown to reduce the risk of myopia (nearsightedness) in children. Outdoor play allows children to see objects from varying distances, lets their eyes take in plenty of natural light, and gives their eyes a break from near-sighted activities like computers or other screens. Aim to spend at least an hour or two outside each day.
4. Limit Screen Time
The use of digital devices, sometimes known as "screen time", has increased significantly among children. Kids are spending more time than ever using computers, tablets, smartphones, or video games.
These screens can provide some benefits including education and entertainment, however, prolonged use can cause vision problems, especially for developing children. Too much screen time can lead to issues like digital eye strain, dry eye syndrome, or myopia. It's important to set age-appropriate limits for children when using digital devices. Here is a guideline for recommended screen time limits for children of various ages:
0 to 2 Years: None. It's recommended to avoid screen time altogether at this age.
2 to 5 Years: One hour per day, with parental supervision.
6 Years and Up: Ideally, no more than 2 hours of screen time per day.
When using screens, encourage your children to follow the 20-20-20 rule. For every 20 minutes, look at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This gives the eyes a "break" from the screen.
5. Wear Proper Eye Protection
Eye injuries in children are not uncommon and many are preventable. Encourage your child to wear protective eyewear during sports or recreational activities where any risk is present. When outdoors, wearing sunglasses will protect your child's eyes from the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays.
6. Set a Good Example
Remember, your children are always watching you and learning from you. By following these tips yourself, you're not only taking care of your own eye health but setting a positive example for your children. Try to eat a well balanced diet of fruits and vegetables and wear eye protection when necessary. Be aware of your own screen time and limit your usage of digital devices, especially around your kids!
7. Look For Warning Signs
A lot of the time, parents don't realize that their child is having an issue with their vision. A child's vision can change quickly and children do not often realize they are experiencing vision problems.
They assume everyone sees the same way they do. Especially for school-aged children, poor vision can lead to behavior issues, poor academic performance, and low self-esteem. Signs that may indicate your child has a vision problem include:
Frequent eye rubbing
Frequent blinking
Tilting head to one side
Covering one eye to see better
Eyes appear crossed or misaligned
Holding books too close to the face or avoiding reading altogether
Losing place when reading
Light sensitivity
Squinting
Itchy, watery, or red eyes
Decreased performance in school
Short attention span
Clumsiness
Avoiding activities
If you notice any of these signs in your child, contact your eye doctor right away.
8. Schedule Regular Comprehensive Eye Exams
The best thing you can do to ensure your child's vision and overall eye health is to schedule regular comprehensive eye exams with an eye doctor. Early diagnosis is key to successful treatment and regular eye exams help detect any vision problems early on. It's recommended that you schedule your child's first eye exam by age 2.
Babies as young as 6 months can be seen by an eye doctor. After that, children should have an eye exam at least every two years. This allows your eye doctor to follow your child's visual development at every stage and monitor any changes along the way, allowing for prompt treatment if necessary.
Following these tips and keeping up with your child's regular eye exams will ensure your child's eye health and good vision for years to come! To schedule an exam, contact us today at Prairie Eye Care.
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