August Is Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month

It’s nearly back-to-school time and you’re prepared with your child’s enrollment forms, orientation schedules, and immunizations — but what about their eyes?

August is Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month– an excellent time for you to get your child’s eyes checked before school starts.

Threatening Conditions

The majority of children have healthy eyes. However, there are conditions that can threaten good vision. Since you can’t constantly “look” into your kid’s eyes to tell if they have eye health problems, make some time today for an eye exam.

Your child’s eyes must be analyzed through routine pediatric consultations and vision testing should be performed as soon as your child turns 3 years old.

Check for These Signs

Parents must understand signs that might show their kid has vision problems, consisting of:

• Wandering or crossed eyes
• A family history of childhood vision problems
• Disinterest in reading or seeing distant items
• Squinting or turning the head in an uncommon manner while watching television

Probable Eye Diseases

Talk to your kid’s pediatrician if you suspect your child has any of the eye diseases listed below:

• Amblyopia (lazy eye)
• Strabismus (crossed eyes)
• Ptosis (sagging of the eyelid)
• Color deficiency (color blindness)
• Refractive errors (nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism).

Use this month to discuss the value of eye safety with your kids.

More than 12 million children struggle with vision problems, and eye injuries are one of the leading reasons for vision loss in children. Nearly 25 percent of school-aged children have vision issues. Of kids ages 3 to 5, near 1 in 20 has a problem that could lead to irreversible vision loss if left without treatment.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology estimates that 80 percent of young children do not get vision screenings. There are an estimated 42,000 sports-related eye injuries each year and the majority of them occur to kids.

Children Should Do The Following:

• Use protective glasses while taking part in sports or leisure activities
• Have fun with are age-appropriate toys. Avoid sharp or protruding parts
• One of the very best ways to ensure your child keeps his/her good vision throughout their life is to set a good health example.

Make sure to bring your child into one of our locations throughout the West Michigan area this month to get their eyes examined and keep their vision healthy.