August is Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month – North Texas Eye Research Institute

August is Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month – North Texas Eye Research Institute

As children grow, their eyes change quickly. Careful attention to a child’s eye health can help catch problems early, while their eyes are still developing.

– During a baby’s first months, their central vision is still developing. A newborn baby can see, but they are still forming connections between their retina and their brain. As central vision develops, watch for baby focusing on objects dangled right in front of them.

– By age 3 months, a baby’s eyes should focus and follow objects. In the first two months of life, an infant’s eyes may appear to cross or wander out to the sides. This is usually normal. As visual coordination improves, the baby’s eyes will work together to focus and follow a moving object. If you do not notice this happening consistently by age 3 months, talk with your pediatrician.

– Watch for misalignment in toddlers, or one eye that looks straight ahead while the other eye turns inward, outward, upward, or downward.

– Keep toddlers away from cleaning products. Young children are more likely than working-age adults to get eye damage from chemical burns.

– Many school-age children are naturally farsighted. In most cases, they do not need glasses. Children generally can accommodate by using their focusing muscles to see clearly near and far. Significant farsightedness can lead to strabismus and amblyopia (“lazy eye”) if left uncorrected.

– Good screen time hygiene may help lower the risk of myopia and digital eye strain. Encourage your child to follow the 20-20-20 rule: Look up from the screen every 20 minutes and focus at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

– Three not-so-obvious signs of childhood vision problems are: 1) quick loss of interest in activities that require extensive eye use, 2) losing your place when reading and 3) turning the head to look at something in front of you. If you observe one or more of these symptoms in your child, schedule an eye exam.

– For teens and young adults, eye injuries are the most common cause of blindness. Regular eye glasses and sunglasses do not offer sufficient protection from sports-related eye injuries. In fact, they can shatter on impact, causing even more damage to the eyes.

– More than 90 percent of children’s eye injuries can be prevented with protective goggles. Children should wear sports eye protectors made with polycarbonate lenses for all sports and activities with a risk of eye injury.

Good vision is key to a child’s physical development, success in school, and overall well-being. Don’t skip regular vision screenings. These are important for detecting and correcting eye problems early.

Source: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/tips-children-eyes-vision
For additional information: https://www.aao.org/