Prioritizing The Health And Safety Of Children’s Eyes

In August 2023, Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month is being observed. With the new school year already underway or about to begin for many kids, it is crucial to be aware of the importance of their eye health. As children head back to school, it’s important to address uncorrected vision problems that can hinder their ability to learn and achieve their full potential. Their eyes play a significant role in learning, socializing, and sight. During the first few years of school, children develop their reading skills and depend on text to learn. Therefore, it is advisable to take your child to an eye specialist for regular check-ups. An eye specialist can ensure that their vision health is optimal, which is essential for academic success and socializing.

Children need their eyes to learn and absorb information, making it vital to prioritize their visual health. Poor vision can significantly impact a child’s development in various ways, such as eye coordination, tracking, and focusing. These skills are essential for activities like reading, writing, and other tasks that require visual attention. Amblyopia, commonly known as “lazy eye,” is the leading cause of vision loss among children. It affects around 2% of children between 6 and 72 months of age (Source: Prevent Blindness). This vision disorder occurs when abnormal neural connections between the brain and eye develop during early childhood, leading to impaired vision.

Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month Is To Educate And Promote The Health And Safety Of Children’s Eyes

• Discuss the significance of maintaining good eye health and spread awareness about it
• Bring attention to the importance of preventing eye injuries in children.
• How to protect children’s eyesight.
• Educate parents and educators about how to detect vision problems in children early

It’s critical that you take your child for yearly eye check-ups. However, it’s important to keep in mind that eye issues can develop between these exams. It’s a good idea to look out for any signs or behaviors that may indicate your child is experiencing vision or learning problems. If you notice any of the following signs or behaviors, it’s best to schedule an appointment with an eye specialist.

What Can Parents and Educators Do?

The American Association of Ophthalmology (AAO) suggests that parents, educators, and others should have a checklist consisting of the following before children start each school year,

• Preventative Eye Care list regarding eye diseases and their impact on eye health and vision
• Vision Screening should occur yearly or when there are signs of vision problems
• Pink Eye symptoms and potential issues, viral or bacterial pink eye (conjunctivitis) infections spread fast in classrooms
• The 20-minute eye rule, look away every 20 minutes
• Rules specific to blinking eyes when using digital devices
• Best practice to reduce glare on digital devices
• Best practices for brightness and contrast levels to maximize comfort when using digital devices

Things parents/teachers should do if a child has an eye injury:

• Scratched eye—If the cornea is only lightly scratched, it should heal without any issues. However, if it is deeply cut, it is important to seek medical attention immediately. In the case of your child, surgery will likely be necessary.
• Dust or sand in eyes—Encourage the child to blink several times. If that doesn’t provide relief, consider using a commercial eye wash to cleanse the affected eye.
• Chemical burn—If chemicals accidentally get into your child’s eye, it’s important to flush the affected eye with running water for 15 minutes. After doing so, seek immediate medical advice from a doctor.
• Cut eyelid—If there is a cut on the eyelid, it’s important to have it stitched by an eye doctor.
• Blood in the eye—If there is blood in the eye, it is important to seek medical attention immediately by going to the emergency room.
• Black eye—In most cases, black eyes do not require any treatment.

 

Things Parents And Educators Must Look Out For (Parenting.Kards4Kids)

The appearance of the eyes:

• One of the eyes may turn inward or outward, causing misalignment.
• If your eyelids are red, crusty, or swollen, it may be a sign of an eye infection or allergy. It’s important to seek medical advice to determine the cause and receive appropriate treatment.
• One may experience redness or excessive watering in their eyes.

Behavior:

• Constantly rubbing eyes
• Cover or close one eye
• Tilting their head to the side or pushing it forward while watching TV, may be a sign of discomfort or strain.
• Sometimes hold their books either too close or too far away
• Often blinking
• They become irritable when they are compelled to do reading or other tasks that require close attention
• Squinting or frowning
• Lack of interest in reading or looking at faraway objects
• Wandering ete

Your child says(Parenting.Kars4kids):

• “My eyes itch”
• “My eyes are burning”
• “My eyes are on fire”
• “My eyes feel scratchy like something’s in them”
• “I can’t see that very well”

After Close Work

• “My head hurts”
• “I feel dizzy”
• “I feel sick in my stomach, nauseated”
• “Everything’s all blurry”
• “I’m seeing two of everything”

Ways to Protect Children’s Eyes

If you observe any vision problems in your child that may affect their socializing or learning in school, kindly make an appointment with us for an eye examination. If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s vision, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us for assistance.