Protecting Your Child's Eye Health
With screen time on the rise, it's no shock that kids are spending all day on devices. They may also be reading in poor lighting, staring too closely at things, or neglecting eye protection when playing outside. And since kids don't often mention their vision problems, these issues can go undetected and worsen over time, so it's crucial to recognize the signs. Here are 10 harmful habits that could be damaging your kid's vision—and 10 ways to protect their eyesight.
1. Too Much Screen Time
Kids spend an average of eight hours looking at screens, with those as young as eight years old averaging around six. This shouldn't come as a surprise—with technology becoming more prevalent in our everyday lives, children are getting phones and tablets younger than ever, which can, in turn, harm their vision.
2. Staring at Things Too Closely
Kids have a habit of staring too closely at things, most often the TV and other digital screens. This likely comes from the brain signally them that in order to focus on something, or to see it clearly, they need to stand near it. Over time, this can cause their eyes to elongate and become myopic (nearsightedness).
3. Skipping Sunglasses or Eye Protection
In their haste to play outside, kids often forget to wear sunglasses or eye protection.
Staring at or being exposed to the sun for prolonged periods can damage the inner tissues of the eyes, causing dryness and irritation. When playing sports without protective goggles, dirt, debris, or sharp objects can also harm your children's eyesight.
4. Constant Rubbing
Kids like to rub their eyes. Usually, it's because they feel dry or irritated, but it can also turn into a habit over time. Worse yet, whenever they rub, they put pressure on the eyes and may accidentally scratch the corneas. Rubbing can also transfer germs and bacteria into the eyes, which may lead to infections.
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5. Reading or Playing in the Dark
Some kids have a habit of reading, writing, or playing in the dark. While some may think the dark adds ambiance to their activity (say, if they're reading something scary), oftentimes, it's because they forget or are too lazy to flip the switch on. But the longer they stay in poor lighting conditions, the more it can lead to eye strain, headaches, and myopia.
6. Not Wearing Glasses
If your child already needs prescriptive glasses, they need to wear them all the time. If they're constantly forgoing them and choosing to squint and strain their eyes instead, this will end up damaging their vision even more. It's best to get them into the habit of wearing them regularly.
7. Sleeping in Contacts
If your child wears contact lenses, it's important that they don't sleep in them. Sleeping in contacts will not only cause dry eyes, but these plastic films will also block oxygen and other nutrients from going into the cornea, which can lead to infections like corneal ulcers.
8. Poor Diet
Kids tend to prefer eating sugary or unhealthy snacks. But just like our bodies need healthy, nutritious food, our eyes do, too. Neglecting to nourish the body with essential vitamins and minerals can weaken the cells and tissues of the eyes, which can lead to serious eye conditions or even vision loss.
9. Infections from Unclean Hands
As kids play, their hands can get tracked with dirt, mud, paint, and other types of grime. And since most kids have a habit of touching their eyes, rubbing them without washing their hands can introduce germs and bacteria into their corneas, which may cause infections like pink eye.
10. Not Getting Regular Eye Exams
While regular eye check-ups are generally more important for adults, it's crucial that kids have these exams as well—especially if they presently have, or are experiencing, visual conditions like myopia. Missing a check-up may lead to further damage that goes undetected.
Now that you're aware of the 10 habits that could be harming your child's vision, let's jump into the 10 ways you can help protect their eyesight.
1. 20-20-20 Rule
Whenever possible, have your kids practice the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes of screen time or close work, take 20 seconds (or more) to look at something 20 feet away. Building this habit could help prevent blurred vision, irritation, and headaches, and gives their eyes a much-needed break.
2. Encourage Outdoor Play
If your kids are often cooped up at home in front of the TV, phone, tablet, or other digital screens, motivate them to go outside and play for at least 30 minutes a day. Not only will outdoor activity help them form healthier habits, but it'll allow them to take in more natural light.
3. Limit Screen Time
On top of encouraging kids to play outside, it may help to limit their screen time. Instead of spending all day on phones, tablets, or game consoles, try setting up reading blocks or plan fun family activities to bring them away from the screens. Installing anti-glare or blue-light filters on devices could also help prevent harmful rays from reaching their eyes.
4. Emphasize Hydration
Make sure your kids are keeping hydrated by drinking enough water. Without doing so, they risk becoming dehydrated, which may cause eye strain, dry eyes (from underproducing tears), light sensitivity, blurred vision, headaches, and more.
5. Clean Hands, Clean Eyes
As previously mentioned, kids tend to get their hands quite dirty after playing outdoors or doing activities like painting.
Remind them to always get their mitts squeaky clean before they touch any part of their face, especially their eyes, or else they risk infection.
6. Remind Them to Wear Sunglasses
No matter if it's sunny or cloudy, ultraviolet rays can still harm your eyes. Encourage your kids to bring their sunglasses with them whenever they travel outdoors and to remember to put them on when it's sunny. Failing to maintain this habit can cause long-term eye problems, like cataracts, photokeratitis, and macular degeneration.
7. Eye-Friendly Diet
An eye-friendly diet consists of one that's rich in zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins A, C, and E, among others. The best foods to eat to get this nutrition are carrots, dark leafy greens (such as spinach and kale), sweet potatoes, fish, eggs, beans, and more.
8. Proper Lighting
It's not enough to have a desk lamp on; remind your kids to study, read, and play in properly lit rooms. This means no reading or writing huddled under the covers in bed, no doing homework in dim settings, and no playing video games in the pitch dark. Another tip is to remind them to maintain good posture so that they aren't straining their necks, backs, or eyes from staring at things too closely.
9. Regular Check-Ups
Though we've mentioned this already, it's worth emphasizing.
Without scheduling regular eye exams, eye conditions can go undetected for years before they're finally addressed. Optometrists are there to quickly identify problems and make sure your eyes stay healthy, so these check-ups are just as essential as any other medical appointments.
10. Getting Enough Sleep
It's important for everyone, especially growing kids, to get enough sleep every night. Sleeping gives our eyes the rest they need to recover, and to combat against dry eyes and digital strain from staring at screens all day. Make sure your kids put devices away at least an hour before bedtime and that their rooms stay screen-free, so they have a dark, quiet environment to get quality sleep.
