Teaching Children Healthy Eye Habits

Teaching children at a young age how to take good care of their eyes is crucial. Much of their learning and development take place through the help of their vision.

As early as infancy, parents should be mindful of their children’s eye health. By the time children reach age 9, their visual development matures. This is the time when some vision disorders become difficult or impossible to correct.

You don’t have to wait until your children are at a certain age before you teach them good eye habits. As soon as they understand how they are able see, you can introduce ways on how to take care of their eye health. For more information about children’s eye health and Orange County LASIK, contact Advanced Eye Medical today.

1. Eat a balanced diet. Nutrition plays an important role in the visual development of children. Make fresh fruits and vegetables a huge part of their diets. Carrots are popular because they are rich in beta-carotene, a type of Vitamin A that helps the eye function properly. But it’s not the only food that’s good for the eyesight. Kale, spinach, and other leafy greens are excellent sources of vitamins and minerals that children need for healthier eyes. Fish that are rich in omega-3s like tuna and salmon can prevent the dry eye syndrome.

2. Give your eyes a break. Eye strain is a common problem in this digital age. Most kids these days spend a lot of time on their mobile phones and tablets, and these can harm the eyes. While parents may not be able to pry the gadgets off their children’s hands, they can limit the time spent using those devices. For every 40 minutes of screen time, ask children to take an hour’s break. This will prevent over-stimulation and eye strain. It is also important to teach young kids the proper posture and viewing distance when using devices. Use the Harmon distance (e.g. distance from the elbow to the middle knuckle) when using gadgets.

3. Take note of any changes in vision. Children are usually unaware of vision problems, so parents should tell their children to let me know if their vision has changed in any way (e.g. becomes double, spotty or blurry). If the child cannot articulate it yet, look for signs that might indicate a vision problem (frequent eye rubbing, viewing at close distance, frequent headaches, etc.). Not sure if your child has a vision problem? Take your child to an eye doctor to see if he or she needs corrective glasses for his or her condition.

4. Protect the eyes. Children need to know how to keep their eyes safe. Pointed objects like pencils, scissors, and any other object with sharp ends should be held with the end pointing down. If spending time under the sun, make sure that they wear protective eye wear like sunglasses. Choose a pair that can block 99% to 100% UVA and UVB rays, which can damage the eyes.

5. Keep the eyes (and hands) clean. Good hygiene helps keep the eyes healthy. Bacteria from dirty hands can infect the eyes and bring different sorts of eye problems. Teach children to wash their hands frequently. If eyes become itchy, tell your children not to rub them too vigorously.

Start children young with good eye habits. This will help prevent children’s vision problems in the long run. And remember to make visits to an eye doctor a regular thing. Your child’s eye doctor can help correct any problem with your child’s vision.

Orange County LASIK

Dr. Ghosheh is an opthalmologist at the Advanced Eye Medical in in Orange County. He helps patients get better vision through corrective surgeries and treatments. Contact Dr. Ghosheh for a professional eye examination or for more information about Orange County LASIK.