It is important to observe your child’s behavior. By doing this, you can keep an eye on his/her health and attitude. Taking care of your child’s vision is also your responsibility. A weak vision for children can cause serious problems for them. They may face difficulty in their school or while playing with their peers. In fact, they will have difficulty doing things like eating, communicating, and learning.
80% of learning in children occurs with the help of eyes. Research shows that the risk of failure of a child with eyesight issues in 1st grade is three times greater than the child with 20/20 vision.
How to Care for Your Child’s Vision
Give Proper Care during Pregnancy
Your baby’s organs can be made strong during the time of pregnancy. Eat healthy foods that are full of nutrients and Vitamin A. You can include green veggies and fruits in your diet. Researches show that sunlight can play a role in the development of eyesight for your child. So, a good few minutes in sunlight in pregnancy can play its role.
Take a Good Healthy Diet
Diet is key for a healthy life from the very beginning of birth. Include vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, omega 3-fatty acids, and lutein in your child’s food. Provide your child with more leafy vegetables, fruits, nuts, and 12 ounces of fish every week; they are rich in nutrients.
Go for Regular Eye Exams
Take your child for a checkup after six months of birth. It may detect early abnormalities such as strabismus and amblyopia, also known as lazy eyes.
You can detect if your child’s eyes are weak if they show the following signs:
- Poor school performance
- Issues while reading and writing
- Difficulty in seeing the board in school
- Headaches or pain in eyes
- Blurry vision
Stimulate Visual Activities
Different eye activities encourage eyes for better vision. Do activities like place a toy 8 to 12 inches away from your child so that they focus on that. Encourage hand-eye coordination by making them crawl or talk to them while doing your work; in that case, they will move their eyes according to your movement. Toys that develop hand-eye coordination are also good – for instance, puzzles, blocks, clays, finger paints, pegboards, and drawing.
Limit the Use of Mobile and TV of your child
Too much exposure to the screen can be dangerous for your child. Children can have dry eyes and eye strain due to excessive screen time. The report by the American Academy of Ophthalmology says that since 1971, nearsightedness cases are doubled in the US, to 42%. Limit your child’s use of the screen and ask them to take breaks while using a screen.
Encourage Eye Safety
Avoid sharp toys for your child; it may hit your child’s eyes. Encourage good habits among your children, such as use special eyeglasses when exposing to blue light. Set up proper lights in your home. Make sure they wear glasses while swimming to avoid infection in the eyes. Keep them away from chemicals and various sprays.
Conclusion
Children cannot always care for themselves properly; you have to be extra cautious for them. They sometimes are not able to tell you their problems. Keep an eye on your child’s behaviors and attitude for a better understanding of their eyesight. These tips will help you to do the extra care of their eyes and optimize your kids’ vision.
