Contrary to popular belief, eye disease is not just an affliction of the elderly, it can cause vision
loss in babies, children, teenagers and adults alike. The first eight years of a child’s life are
critical for eye development.
If problems are not picked up during this time, damage and vision loss can be permanent. The good news is that by being aware and informed, parents can detect the signs of their children's potential vision problems. As having a family history of eye disease puts you at greater risk, it's important for parents to discuss their family eye health history with their parents and grandparents on both sides of the family and if necessary, seek an eye test for the whole family.
Here are 5 tips from The Eye Foundation for your child’s eye health:
- Be Eye Aware: Early detection and treatment is the best defence against eye disease. Symptoms to watch out for include rubbing of eyes, poor hand-eye co-ordination, lack of concentration and complaining of headaches, blurred or double vision;
- Green is Good: Provide your child with a balanced, nutritious diet rich in fruit and vegetables. Dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach and yellow vegetables such as pumpkin and carrot will help to keep your child’s eyes healthy;
- Hats Help: Make sure that your child always wears a broad-‐brimmed hat when playing outside as this will reduce the amount of UV reaching your child’s eyes by up to half;
- Specs Appeal: When in the sun, make sure your child wears sunglasses with UV to protect their eyes from damaging UV rays;
- Balls Galore: Ensure appropriate safety procedures are covered with your child prior to playing sports that include high velocity ball action. Example sports include: tennis, soccer, basketball, squash and hockey.
If problems are not picked up during this time, damage and vision loss can be permanent. The good news is that by being aware and informed, parents can detect the signs of their children's potential vision problems. As having a family history of eye disease puts you at greater risk, it's important for parents to discuss their family eye health history with their parents and grandparents on both sides of the family and if necessary, seek an eye test for the whole family.
Here are 5 tips from The Eye Foundation for your child’s eye health:
- Be Eye Aware: Early detection and treatment is the best defence against eye disease. Symptoms to watch out for include rubbing of eyes, poor hand-eye co-ordination, lack of concentration and complaining of headaches, blurred or double vision;
- Green is Good: Provide your child with a balanced, nutritious diet rich in fruit and vegetables. Dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach and yellow vegetables such as pumpkin and carrot will help to keep your child’s eyes healthy;
- Hats Help: Make sure that your child always wears a broad-‐brimmed hat when playing outside as this will reduce the amount of UV reaching your child’s eyes by up to half;
- Specs Appeal: When in the sun, make sure your child wears sunglasses with UV to protect their eyes from damaging UV rays;
- Balls Galore: Ensure appropriate safety procedures are covered with your child prior to playing sports that include high velocity ball action. Example sports include: tennis, soccer, basketball, squash and hockey.
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