Monella
As parents, we do everything in our power to give our kids the best start in life. When it comes to visual health, your child’s eyesight is essential for all aspects of life. From seeing the world, learning, and interacting with others, it’s your job to protect your child’s eyes. To give you a helping hand, here are five things you can do to ensure your child maintains good eye health.
Schedule Regular Eye Exams
It’s recommended to bring your kids for regular eye exams from as early as six months old. Your eye doctor will monitor your baby’s vision development and detect any vision anomalies. Should a problem be detected, treatment can halt the progression of disorders from forming. As your child goes for checkups when they’re older, glasses may need to be prescribed. Here are tips for getting your kids to wear glasses if they’re reluctant.
Eat Healthily
While we know how important eating healthily is for your child’s wellbeing and development, a balanced diet is crucial for your child’s vision. Make sure your kids are eating plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, and fish. You can also incorporate yellow and green leafy vegetables into your child’s diet, which are excellent sources of vitamin A (a vital nutrient for ocular health).
Plenty of Water
Drinking plenty of water every day is essential for maintaining eye health. Encouraging your kids to drink four glasses of water each day can make a real difference to your child’s eyesight. When your child drinks water, they will keep hydrated, which is essential for their eyes and organs. Should they become dehydrated, this can be severely harmful to their eyes.
Limit Screen Time
While technology is beneficial in many ways, too much screen time can do damage to your child’s eyesight. Whether they love playing games on the iPad or speaking to friends on social media, you need to limit how much time they spend behind the screen. This is because prolonged screen time can cause blurry vision and focusing problems. It’s never too late to break old habits, so if your child has been watching television or playing games for some years, now is the time to reduce screen time. Although tantrums may occur at first, your child will soon calm down and get used to the rules.
Protect From the Sun
Lots of us love to take our children out when the weather is nice. With summer now here, you must invest in good-quality sunglasses for your kids to wear. The harmful UV rays from the sun can not only increase the risk of skin cancer but burn the retina. If your child enjoys playing outdoor games and sports, they’re at a higher risk of eye injuries, so ensure they’re wearing UV filter sunglasses.
You may have various concerns about your child’s vision. Whether it’s how well they can see, or if their vision is developing normally, taking all the above on board will help you protect your child’s eyesight.
