It’s hard to believe but August is upon us and a new school year is about to begin! As Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month (recognized by the American Academy of Ophthalmology), August is the perfect time to learn about the importance of your children’s eye health and safety; it’s also a good time to have your children’s eyes examined by a professional. Doing so can help your children excel in the new school year, because vision affects not only academic performance but also athletics and extracurricular activities. Here, the team at Island Eye Surgicenter shares our top children’s eye care tips.
Why Vision Is Important to Children’s Education and Development
It’s important for parents to understand that much of learning in the classroom is visual. This makes regular vision assessments by a professional critical to catch potential problems that could affect your children’s education and development.
Children can have any number of signs which indicate vision or eye health problems. Here’s what you, as a parent or caregiver, should look for:
- Frequently rubbing the eyes
- Tilting or turning the head when focusing on objects
- Closing one eye or squinting
- Holding books or homework close to the eyes
- Complaining of headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, nausea or itching eyes
- Wandering or misaligning of one or both eyes
- Redness, irritation, watering of the eyes
If any of your children exhibit one or more of these signs, it’s time to schedule an eye exam for them. Common conditions affecting children include farsightedness, nearsightedness, astigmatism, color blindness, crossed eyes or lazy eye — most of which can be treated effectively if diagnosed early.
Eye Health and Safety
In addition to vision, eye health and safety are extremely important. Each year numerous children experience eye injuries from toys, sports, recreational activities, fireworks and other seemingly innocuous hazards. Most of these injuries could have been prevented with the use of activity-specific protective eyewear, such as sports goggles. Should any of your children sustain an eye injury, seek medical attention immediately.
Consult with a Vision Specialist
If you would like more information about children’s eye health and safety, Island Eye Surgicenter is here to help. Our team of experts can answer your questions and provide more eye-healthy tips. Please call (516) 877-2400 or (516) 877-1560 today.
