5 Tips on Taking Care of Children’s Eyesight
As parents, we always want what is best for our children. We want them to be healthy, happy, and successful in life. One of the best things we can do for our children is to help them protect their eyesight.
In the age of gadgets, it is more important than ever to help our children protect their eyesight. With so many screens around us, it is easy for our children to spend hours looking at them. This can lead to eye strain, headaches, and even long-term damage to our children's eyesight.
To protect your child's eyesight in the age of gadgets, here are a few simple things we can consider:
Does Taking Medicine Affect Your Child's Eyesight as They Grow Up?
There are a few medicines brands that had negative side effects on eyesight. These medicines are usually not regulated by government agencies and may have failed quality tests so they may have already been recalled and taken off the market. You should always consult with a physician before giving medicine to your children to ensure that the medicines are safe and approved for use.
For adults, there have been instances where taking drugs to treat certain conditions has led to unexpected side effects. The Elmiron class action lawsuit in particular has seen claims of interstitial cystitis patients developing eye problems leading to blindness. The question now is: Are there medicines marketed for kids that have the same detrimental effects on their eyesight?
So far, there have been no recent cases of medicine brands that are reported to have negative effects on children’s eyesight and health. Still, there were cases and lawsuits regarding harmful medicine brands, so read more about this matter to avoid using these medications for your children.
Most kids have access to digital screens at an early age, but their exposure to screens must be limited because of the negative effects that can develop. Excessive time spent on these devices can cause eye strain which can lead to further health complications. From the different types of headaches to dry eyes and blurred vision, kids can also acquire poor behavior by spending too much time in front of screens. Not to mention the risks of obesity and sleep disturbances that can be associated with excessive screen time.
Due to these negative effects on children, the use of digital devices must be limited and monitored. It is recommended that infants must be given little to no screen time as their eyes are not yet developed to endure exposure to digital screens.
Toddlers between ages 2 to 4 must be limited to only an hour per day and must be encouraged to pursue other forms of activities for entertainment and learning to develop their mental and social skills.
For children ages 5 and above, screen time must be monitored by the parents and must be devoted to educational purposes. Since some learning materials in school are now digitalized, children are advised to spend at most 2 to 3 hours a day using gadgets for learning.
If any sign of blurring or disorienting vision occurs regularly in your child’s eyes, you must immediately take them to an eye specialist for a checkup. Infants and toddlers have a relatively weaker immune system compared to adults and they are more prone to sickness. Their eyes are especially sensitive at this stage and the parents must always take measures to maintain proper eye care for their children.
It is also advisable to have routine eye checkups if your family has a history of eye conditions that can be inherited by your children. Symptoms of eye diseases must be identified immediately because they are degenerative and may cause severe vision loss if left untreated. During consultations, always inform your physician if your family carries these genetic diseases.
Our eyes, just like other organs, rely on the daily intake of vitamins and minerals from food to function and maintain their well-being. These vitamins are used by the body to produce proteins, hormones, and antioxidants that are vital for the functions of the eyes.
Vitamins A, C, and E are common vitamin groups that are essential for the eye. These vitamins can be found in different fruits and vegetables. There are food supplements and vitamin tablets that are also specifically made to aid in the eyes' health. Taking these vitamins regularly can help prevent progressive eye diseases in the long run.
In addition to taking vitamins, proper eye hygiene can help prevent diseases from developing in the eyes. Children are prone to dirtying their hands when playing so teach them to make a habit of washing their hands regularly before touching their eyes. This will prevent dirt, dust, and other allergens to come into contact with their eyes.
At this age, parents are already buying their kids their personal mobile devices since these devices are useful for playtime or for school, but the problem is that some kids spend too much time staring at these screens.
Eye strain is commonly developed in these cases because the eyes focus too much on the screen and they rarely get time to rest in between sessions. In addition to poor hygiene and a vitamin-deficit diet, this may cause drying up of the eyes, itching, temporary blurred vision, and sore eyes.
To avoid this from happening, books can be introduced to children ages 2 to 3 years as alternative sources of entertainment and information to develop their habit of not relying too much on phones. This practice can also increase a child’s interest in books rather than mobile devices. When teaching them how to read books, always do so in a well-lit area so that the eyes can properly adjust to the light and this will cause less eye strain.
Children are less likely to identify if there is something wrong with their own bodies so it is the parent's responsibility to monitor their health. Always remember to check on their well-being and ask them if they are feeling anything off in their bodies.
