4 Tips For Protecting Your Child’s Vision

The gift of vision is something to be cherished and not taken for granted. Unfortunately, too often, people don’t realize how damaging certain habits can be to vision. Many conditions that lead to poor eyesight are preventable. Protecting vision should start at a young age. Here are some things that parents can do to protect their child’s vision.

1. Provide Adequate Lighting

Poor lighting causes eye strain, which can damage the eye. Since children’s eyes are still growing and developing, it’s especially important to make sure there is adequate lighting in the house for reading and other activities. For best results, provide at least one table lamp next to the bed for reading in bed. An overhead light is recommended to illuminate the play area in the bedroom. If your child reads in other parts of the home, such as the living room, be sure these have table lamps and overhead lights, too.

2. Teach Your Child to Hold Book Properly

Be sure your child isn’t reading with their book held too closely. While this may be a sign of poor vision, it’s often just a habit with young children that only means they don’t know how to hold a book properly. Take time to show them the correct distance 8-12 inches and then gently correct them if they fall back into old habits.

3. Get Regular Eye Exams

Your child’s school will likely have vision screening days where they try to find out if any of the students have vision problems. However, these are no substitute for the attention of a professional eye doctor. Be sure to bring your child in for regular eye exams. This will ensure that any problems get corrected as soon as possible, so the issues don’t worsen.

4. Have Children Wear Safety Goggles

If your child participates in any contact sports, be sure they wear safety goggles. Eye trauma is a leading cause of an assortment of preventable vision problems. Eye goggles protect the eyes if an accident happens.
These four tips are sure to help protect your child’s vision at home, at school, and on the sports field. For more tips about protecting your child’s vision, consult with your child’s eye doctor.