It’s Important To Focus On Back-to-School Preparations, Including Ensuring Children’s Eye Health And Safety

As August 2023 marks Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month, it’s important to consider that some children may have already returned to school or are getting ready to do so. For most kids, the school year starts this week. It’s crucial to prioritize the health of their eyes, which are essential tools for learning, socializing, and seeing. During the first three years of school, children are developing their reading skills and learn from text. Therefore, it’s wise to take your child for regular eye exams with a professional. Children rely heavily on their eyes to take in information and learn. Taking them to an eye specialist is the best way to ensure their vision health is optimal, which in turn ensures their ability to learn and socialize for academic success.

Improper vision can impede a child’s development in various ways, including eye coordination, tracking, and focusing. These skills are necessary for reading, writing, and other activities that require visual attention. As a result, children with poor visual skills may struggle to participate in such activities. The most common cause of vision loss in children is Amblyopia, also known as “lazy eye.” This vision disorder affects around 2% of children aged 6 to 72 months, making it the most prevalent cause of vision loss in children. Amblyopia occurs when abnormal neural connections between the brain and eye develop during early childhood, leading to impaired vision (Source: Prevent Blindness).

Children’s Eye Health And Safety Month Aims Are

• 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 notice any vision issues in your child that could impact their ability to socialize or learn in the classroom, please schedule an eye exam with us. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns about your child’s vision.