10 Most Helpful Tips on How to Protect Your Children’s Eyesight

August is National Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month!

School is starting back up and we want to make sure our keiki’s eyesight is safe and protected! With an increase in computer and screen usage, as well as new germ exposures and transmissible variants in our classrooms there can be serious consequences on our children’s eyes and vision. That is the American Academy of Ophthalmology has designated August as “Children’s Eye Health & Safety Month.” To do our part, Hawaiian Eye Center will share our 10 of our top tips to protect your children’s eyesight this school season!

A UCLA study found that roughly 80% of classroom learning is visual. This means there is a crucial need to monitor and maintain our children’s eye health. With hours of digital and non-digital learning this can cause a lot of strain and pressure on the eyes which may lead to risks for nearsightedness, myopia, dry eye disease, along with other vision concerns. Although eye conditions like nearsightedness can be corrected by glasses or contact lenses, they may still lead to several eye problems later on such as retinal detachment, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. Additionally, Myopia and dry eye disease can make it extremely difficult for children to learn and excel in school as they cause eye pain or headaches making it harder to focus and read. The best way to try and stop this from happening to your children’s eyes is to take the proper preventative measures and ongoing eyecare as their eyes and vision continue to develop.

The Hawaiian Eye center suggests these 10 helpful tips to protect and preserve your children’s eye health:

1) Encourage 20-second breaks from closeup work every 20 minutes
2) Set a timer to remind kids to take those breaks and rest their eyes
3) Keep digital media 18 to 24 inches away from the face
4) Introduce nutritious and balanced meals and snacks full of vitamins A, C, and E
5) Make sure they are getting a full and well rested sleep
6) Protect their eyes outside with proper eyewear
7) Limit screen time to a maximum of 1-2 hours per day for kids ages 2 to 5, guided screen time with frequent breaks for kids over 5, and no screen time for children under 1.
8) Managing their screen time to support educational use while limiting cartoons and video games.
9) Make they spend time outdoors to balance out close-up work and receive crucial doses of natural light
10) Maintain regular comprehensive eye exams to catch possible signs of eye problems or a need for glasses

Dr. Steven Rhee of Hawaiian Eye Center states, “If your exhibiting signs of having a short attention span, eye pain, or difficulty concentrating, it may be a sign that your child is having vision problems and needs you to help them get the right support.” To learn more or schedule an eye appointment for your family, please visit: https://www.hawaiianeye.com/