Protect Their Peepers: Eye Care

Protecting your child’s eyes while they learn and play requires proper eye care.

A child’s eyesight undergoes several changes during their growing years. Having a good eye care routine is essential to protect their visual development and ensure they can learn.

Be sure to have your child’s eyes checked regularly. An optometrist recommends having an eye examination annually, especially once your children start school. These should be done more frequently if your child shows signs of eye problems. CooperVision recommends that children should have their first eye exam at age 3. Visual screening is an important part of eye care. It tests for visual acuity (clarity and sharpness), but healthy eyes are about more than just 20-20 vision.

Also read our other articles about children’s vision here and here.

warning signs

Look out for these warning signs:

being uninterested in looking at distant objects
squinting
holding objects very close to the eyes
moving around in class to see the board or sitting too close to the TV
frequent headaches
excessive eye-rubbing
complaints about sore eyes
trouble reading or a lack of concentration and difficulty with copying or understanding work.

other tips to protect your children’s eyes

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. Ensure the lenses are large enough to cover the whole eye area and 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 while playing sports 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.