10 Ways to Keep Children's Eyes Healthy

The 10 ways to keep children’s eyes healthy may be to have a regular eye exam, eat a well-balanced diet, engage in outdoor activities, use proper eye protection, watch out for signs of trouble, reduce screen time, use protective eyewear for sports, find out about the family’s health history, teach hygiene habits and keep sharp and hazardous items away. The ways to keep children’s eyes healthy are listed below.

• Have a Regular Eye Exam: Have a regular eye exam to ensure any vision-related changes are identified early and professionally diagnosed. A regular eye exam will involve looking at different areas of the eye to assess overall eye condition.
• Eat a Well-Balanced Diet: Eat a well-balanced diet to reduce the risk of developing certain eye problems and diseases. A well-balanced diet typically consists of vegetables, healthy protein, whole grains and fruits.
• Engage in Outdoor Activities: Engaging in outdoor activities may help to lessen the risk of certain eye problems and eye diseases occurring in children.
• Use Proper Eye Protection: Use proper eye protection when doing activities that may involve potential airborne particles such as sand, dirt and other debris from spending time outdoors.
• Watch Out For Signs of Trouble: Watch out for signs of trouble in your children’s vision such as if they struggle to focus on objects, complaints of blurry vision, excessive blinking, tears in eyes or crossed eyes.
• Reduce Screen Time: Reduce screen time to prevent children’s eyes from drying out and developing fatigue.
• Use Protective Eyewear For Sports: Use protective eyewear for sports to prevent eye injuries which commonly occur during sports activities such as basketball or soccer.
• Find Out About the Family's Eye Health History: Find out about the family’s eye health history to know if your children are at risk of developing any eye problems common in the family.
• Teach Hygiene Habits: Teach hygiene habits such as washing hands regularly and minimising touching the face after touching other objects to prevent eye infections.
• Keep Sharp and Hazardous Items Away: Keep sharp and hazardous items away from children to prevent them from possible accidents to the eye.

1. Have a Regular Eye Exam

Have a regular eye exam to help ensure that any minor or major vision changes can be detected early. Having regular eye exams can help maintain children’s eye health as the optometrist will be able to assess the different structures of the eye to make sure everything is functioning correctly. If the optometrist does identify signs of an eye problem, they will be able to address it in a timely manner. A comprehensive eye test will typically consist of examining the front, back, pressure and visual functions of the eye using different forms of equipment.

2. Eat a Well-Balanced Diet

Eating a well-balanced diet may potentially reduce the risk of developing certain eye problems and eye diseases. Eating a diet that consists of vegetables, healthy proteins, whole grains and fruits may help sustain optimal eye health in children as they help to support structures in the eye. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, our eyes depend on small arteries for nutrients and oxygen, therefore, it is vital to consume a well-balanced diet to support those arteries.

3. Engage in Outdoor Activities

Engaging in outdoor activities may help keep children’s eyes healthy as physical exercise has been proven to improve cardiovascular risk factors and produce positive outcomes for the nervous system. Therefore, it is suggested that outdoor activities may also benefit the visual system, according to Sharon R. Ong. et al., 2018 in their article Physical Activity, Visual Impairment, and Eye Disease. Engaging in outdoor activities may help boost blood vessel health by preventing the excessive growth of blood vessels in the eye according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

4. Use Proper Eye Protection

Use proper eye protection when children are participating in activities that may involve potential airborne particles such as sand and dirt or household cleaning items, entering the eye. Using proper protection such as goggles, may help to prevent eye injuries such as corneal abrasions, burns, and penetrations to the eye, especially if your child is prone to accidents. According to the Vision Eye Institute, the most common eye problems in children stem from eye injuries, chemical burns in the eye and corneal abrasions.

5. Watch Out for Signs of Trouble

Watch out for signs of trouble in your child’s vision which may include signs only they notice and signs that are also visible to you. Signs of trouble to watch out for may include changes to their eye position, unusual eye movement, squinting and complaints of blurred vision or trouble reading. These can be typical signs of common eye problems such as refractive errors, crossed eyes (strabismus), involuntary rapid or repetitive eye movement (nystagmus), lazy eye (amblyopia) and double vision. It is important to have your child’s eye tested by an optometrist if your child is experiencing any of these symptoms.

6. Reduce Screen Time

Reduce screen time to minimise the risk of developing digital eye strain in children. Reducing screen time for children can help provide more rest for their eyes and protection from digital eye strain symptoms such as general discomfort in the eye, eye fatigue, dry eye, headaches and blurry vision. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, digital eye strain refers to the group of symptoms that are commonly experienced due to long periods of screen time. While digital eye strain may not cause permanent damage to the eyes, these symptoms can still be unpleasant for children. Therefore, it is recommended to incorporate regular breaks while kids are carrying out screen-based activities such as reading.

7. Use Protective Eyewear for Sports

Use protective eyewear for sports to protect your child’s eyes from potential injuries. Protective eyewear such as goggles may help prevent injuries that can come from trauma to the eye from sports equipment, balls and hands. Eye injuries may bring on symptoms such as swelling, redness, excessive tears, and eye pain. It is important to see an optometrist if your child experiences an eye injury as it can worsen. It is recommended to avoid rubbing, touching or applying any topical medication to your child’s injured eyes without seeking professional assistance first to prevent further complications.

8. Find Out About the Family's Eye Health History

Find out about the family’s eye health history to help you recognise what eye problems your child may be at risk of developing. It is helpful to know your family’s eye health history so you can know what signs to look out for and can help you to answer the optometrist’s questions during your child’s consultation. It may also assist with future medical appointments as your optometrist will be able to conduct the right tests that may be required for your child’s eye condition.

9. Teach Hygiene Habits

Teach hygiene habits such as washing hands regularly and minimising face touching to avoid the spread of bacteria found on surfaces from their hands to their eyes. Practising hygiene habits as a child may be able to reduce the risk of developing eye infections or general eye irritation from dirt. Eye infections can typically stem from bacteria or viruses which are not visible. Therefore, it can be especially helpful for children to have a natural habit of washing their hands regularly and reducing how much they touch their faces.

10. Keep Sharp and Hazardous Items Away

Keep sharp and hazardous items away from children to avoid causing potential accidents to the eye. Sharp and hazardous items to keep away from children may include knives, scissors forks and some household cleaning products, which may be mishandled in a child’s hands. According to the Royal Children’s Hospital, ocular trauma in children has resulted in 280,000 hospital admissions per year worldwide. It may be helpful to make sure any sharp utensils are stored back in their designated area as soon as you are done using them and keep any cleaning products out of reach.

Why is it Important to Keep Children's Eyes Healthy?

It is important to keep children’s eyes healthy as it is essential for their overall development. Healthy eyes for children help their ability to play, interact and socialise with others, learn and explore. Some common eye problems that can occur at birth or during childhood can include lazy eye (amblyopia), crossed eyes (strabismus), cataracts, pink eye, a stye or blocked tear ducts according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. It is recommended to get your child’s eyes tested before the age of 6 months, at the age of 3 and then followed by once every two years if they do not have any eye problems or concerns.

What are the Common Eye Problems in Children?

The common eye problems in children can include lazy eye (amblyopia), crossed eyes (strabismus), and pink eye (conjunctivitis). These are just some of the many common forms of eye problems in children, which is why it is important to have your child’s eyes tested according to the recommended frequency. The common eye problems in children are listed below.

• Lazy Eye: Lazy eye, also known as amblyopia, is a common eye problem that causes one eye to work better than the other. Lazy eye can occur due to a malfunction in how the brain and eyes work together and typically develop during childhood. Amblyopia may also stem from other eye conditions such as strabismus or uncorrected refractive errors and is one of the leading causes of vision loss in children according to the Lions Eye Institute.
• Crossed Eyes: Crossed eyes, also referred to as strabismus, is an eye problem common in children that causes one eye to turn in a different direction than the other eye. Other common names for crossed eyes are lazy eyes, squint and turned eyes. Crossed eyes can be a consequence of family history, medical conditions and refractive errors.
• Pink Eye Pink eye (conjunctivitis) is characterised by the inflammation or infection of the conjunctiva, which is the membrane covering the white part of the eye and the inner eyelid. Conjunctivitis is caused by a range of factors including bacterial infections, viral infections, allergies and irritants. Symptoms may include red eyes, eye pain, excessive tears, eye discharge and itchiness.

Are Cataracts Common in Children?

No, cataracts are not common in children. Cataracts typically occur in older adults as a result of the natural ageing process, therefore, it is less common for cataracts to develop in children. Around 1 in 5000 children are affected by cataracts in Australia according to the National Institute of Health. Cataracts in children can be congenital (that means they are born with it), can be induced by trauma or injury to the eyes or can be induced due to certain medications that they may be taking for any underlying conditions e.g. steroid use.

Do Kids Get Affected by Blue Light?

Yes, kids may get affected by blue light as blue light has shown its effect on sleep quality and alertness. According to a study on The Influence of Blue Light on Sleep, Performance and Wellbeing in Young Adults: A systematic review, eight studies had shown that the sleepiness of subjects decreased following blue light exposure. Another study produced results of individuals with improved cognitive performance and increased alertness after blue light exposure. Therefore, it may affect kids when using their devices in the evening before bed. However, it is important to note that there may not be sufficient evidence to confirm the notion of blue light having negative effects on sleep.

Do Children Experience Glaucoma?

Yes, children can experience glaucoma. However, it is considered rare for glaucoma to develop in children, with it affecting 1 in 2000 children in Australia according to Glaucoma Australia. Underlying diseases that may cause the development of glaucoma in children can include neurofibromatosis type 1, which is a disorder of the skin, eye and nerve tissue and Sturge-Weber syndrome according to Glaucoma Australia.

Can Children Wear Glasses for Their Eye Problems?

Yes, children can wear glasses for their eye problems such as refractive errors. Children may require glasses to correct farsightedness (hyperopia), nearsightedness (myopia) and astigmatism, which can be a result of common eye problems such as amblyopia. Therefore, it is important to get regular eye tests to know if your child needs glasses. However, for other eye problems such as eye infections or eye injuries, glasses may not be effective. Here at Oscar Wylee, we offer a range of kids’ glasses available in different colours and styles.

What are the Best Vitamins for Children's Eye Health?

The best vitamins for children’s eye health may include vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, Zinc, Lutein and Zeaxanthin, Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins B6, B9 and B12, riboflavin, thiamine and niacin. These may be the best vitamins for a child’s eye health as these different nutrients can aid in supporting the small arteries that the eyes depend on for oxygen and nutrients. Ensuring your child consumes a well-balanced diet that consists of foods rich in these vitamins can help with overall mental and physical health.

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