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Protect their peepers
Sight is one of our most precious senses, so make sure you keep your children’s eyes safe at all times
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Protect you child’s eyes while they learn and play:
- Encourage them to wear sunglasses that will block out harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays, or to protect their eyes if they are sensitive to light. The Cancer Association of South Africa (Cansa) recommends sunglasses with a UV-protection rating of UV400. Make sure the lenses are large enough to cover the whole eye area and that they wrap around the face. Children should wear plastic frames with polycarbonate lenses. Over-exposure to the sun could cause temporary or permanent damage to their eyes.
- Eye injuries during sport are, unfortunately, a common occurrence. Consider kitting your child with protective eyewear that can be worn on the field or the court.
- If your child gets sand in his eyes while playing outdoors, wash the affected area with water and stop him from rubbing the eye, as this could cause more damage.
- Keep sharp objects, hazardous chemicals and other potentially dangerous items out of reach. Teach your children to point aerosol nozzles away from their faces.
- Never let your children play with fireworks.
- Be sure to have your child’s eyes checked regularly. Durban optometrist Petrea Lodder says an eye examination should be done annually, especially once your children start school. These should be done more frequently if your child shows signs of eye problems. Look out for these warning signs: moving around in class to see the board or sitting too close to the TV, frequent headaches, excessive eye-rubbing, complaints about sore eyes or squinting, trouble reading or a lack of concentration and difficulty with copying or understanding work.
Did you know?
- The cornea in the eye is one of the most sensitive parts of your body.
- Babies’ eyes don’t produce tears until they are about six to eight weeks old.
- All babies are born colour blind.
- It can take up to three years for children to develop their final eye colour.
- It is impossible to sneeze with your eyes open.
- Your eyes blink over 10 million times a year.
- The average blink lasts 300 to 400 milliseconds.
- Eighty percent of our memories are made up of visual images.
Thank you for all your interesting tips - just love your mag.