As children grow, their eyes change quickly. Careful attention to a child's eye health can help catch problems early, while their eyes are still developing.
For 2020: Year of the Eye, the American Academy of Ophthalmology presents important things to know about kids’ eyes.
Babies
Smoking can harm an unborn child’s eyes.
Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk for premature birth. Preemies are more likely to have permanent vision loss or even blindness.
Smoking while pregnant also leads to a five-fold higher risk of the baby getting bacterial meningitis. Bacterial meningitis can cause severe vision loss.
During a baby’s first months, their central vision is still developing. A newborn baby can see, but they are still forming connections between their retina and their brain. As central vision develops, a baby may begin to focus on objects dangling in front of them.
By age 3 months, a baby’s eyes should focus and follow objects.
In the first two months of life, an infant’s eyes may appear to cross or wander out to the sides. This is usually normal.
As visual coordination improves, the baby’s eyes will work together to focus and follow a moving object.
By age 5 months, babies are seeing in three dimensions.
At this age, babies get better at reaching for objects because they can see how far an object is from them.
They are developing depth perception. They may even remember what an object is if they only see part of it.
Toddlers
Watch for misalignment,
or one eye that looks straight ahead while the other eye turns inward, outward, upward, or downward. This may be a sign of strabismus, a visual problem that occurs in about 4% of children in the U.S.
The ability of both eyes to focus on an object simultaneously continues to develop until about age 7. Be sure to seek evaluation early if you suspect a problem. This can also be caught during a routine preschool vision screen at the pediatrician's office.
Keep toddlers away from cleaning products.
Young children are more likely than working-age adults to get eye damage from chemical burns. These burns are particularly dangerous because they can cause permanent damage to both external and internal eye structures. If a child does get chemicals in the eyes, flush them with plenty of water and proceed to your nearest emergency care department.
School-age children
Many school-age children are naturally farsighted.
In most cases, they do not need glasses. Children generally can accommodate by using their focusing muscles to see clearly near and far. As they age, children’s eyes grow and lengthen, and farsightedness often improves on its own. Significant farsightedness, however, can lead to strabismus and amblyopia ("lazy eye") if left uncorrected.
Colorblindness is much more common in boys and the symptoms can be hard to detect. Parents may only notice a problem when a child is learning colors. One symptom is the inability to tell the difference between shades of the same or similar colors. This happens most with red and green, or blue and yellow.
Teens and young adults
Eye injuries are the most common cause of blindness in children, and baseball is a leading cause of eye injuries in children ages 14 and older. Regular eye glasses and sunglasses do not offer sufficient protection from sports-related eye injuries. In fact, they can shatter on impact, causing even more damage to the eyes.
More than 90 percent of children’s eye injuries can be prevented with protective goggles.
Children should wear sports eye protectors made with polycarbonate lenses for baseball, basketball, football, racquet sports, soccer, hockey, lacrosse, paintball and other activities with a risk of eye injury.
Proper contact lens care is challenging for children and teens.
This puts them at higher risk for serious eye infections that can cause impaired vision or even blindness. Watch to be sure they care for their lenses properly.
Good vision is key to a child’s physical development, success in school, and overall wellbeing. Don’t skip regular vision screenings. These are important for detecting and correcting eye problems early. In addition to screenings for infants, the Academy recommends further vision screening for children when they are:
In preschool (between the ages of 3 and 4)
Entering elementary school
Experiencing a possible vision problem
Before and during growth hormone therapy
Retrieved from https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/tips-children-eyes-vision
5 ways to prevent vision problems in children
- Arrange eye exams every year
Children should receive an eye exam every year to make sure that they are not suffering any vision problems which may be caused by the usage of digital device, starting from the age of 3.
- Take breaks
Ensure that every 20 minutes the children used the digital device, make sure that the children look away from the screen for 20 seconds and look at something far about 20 feet away.
- Ensure sufficient lighting
There must always be adequate lighting in the room or surrounding of the children no matter which type of device they are using or when they are reading a book. Make sure that the lamps shines on the desk.
- Ensure children keep their Distance
They are most likely to suffer from eye strain when they hold the item near their face. Ensure that there is at least an elbow length distance from their eyes.
- Keep screen time to a minimum
Young children’s eyes are not able to handle screen time for too long. When they are above the age of 2, they are not suppose to use the digital device more than 2 hours per day and for infants there should be no screens. Instead of putting them in front of screens, it can be substitute with playtime outside. Spending time outdoor playing benefits in the children’s physical health including their eyes, with research provided that playing outdoors can reduce on the risk of nearsightness.
Retrieved from https://realshades.com/blog/5-ways-to-prevent-vision-problems-in-children/
6 food that can help maintain their eyesight.
1. Deep-Water Fish
Fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel which contains great source of omega-3 fatty acid. They will help to improve lubricants in the children’s eye and prevent having dry eye syndromes. Consuming it regularly helps to reduce the risk of them developing cataracts and macular degeneration later on
2. Leafy Green Vegetables
Vegetable such as Kale, spinach, and collard greens contain high levels of lutein and zeaxanthin. These carotenoids have potent antioxidative properties which help ward off free radicals in your eyes. According to the eye doctor, they act as a defense mechanism to prevent macular degeneration and cataract formation as your child grows older.
3. Eggs and Carrots
Consuming Vitamin A-rich eggs can help prevent night blindness and dry eyes. Carrots also contain high levels of beta-carotene, which is a precursor of this vitamin. They maintain your child’s ocular structural integrity and promote healthy functioning of their eye components.
4. Berries and Citrus Fruits
These fruits are rich in Vitamin C which can strengthen your kid’s immune system, increasing their resistance to eye infections and other diseases. Strawberries and oranges can be given to the children as snacks.
5. Nuts
These nuts contain significant levels of Vitamin E, which also acts as an antioxidant that helps preserve your kid’s eyesight. Studies shows that eating nuts daily is an effective home myopia control remedy. These includes almonds, pistachios, and walnuts in the children’s diet.
6. Beef
Dark meat and oysters contain increased levels of zinc, a mineral which delivers Vitamin A found in your liver to your retina. This is an important step in ensuring your eyes’ continuous melanin production. This pigment is primarily responsible for maintaining your retinal photoreceptors, especially the rods, to prevent night blindness.
Retrieved from https://www.myopiainstitute.com/eye-care/6-foods-to-help-maintain-your-childs-eyesight/
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