The Parent's Guide To Child Eye Care
Posted on: 16 December 2015
According to a recent study, 66 % of Americans require some form of corrective vision. Only 48 % of parents, however, have taken their child or children to see an optometrist or ophthalmologist.
If your child is living without the corrective vision they need, they might struggle to keep up in classroom and when playing their favorite sport.
Here's a quick parent's guide to help your child get the corrective vision they need to succeed:
Classroom
If your child is struggling to see clearly, they may struggle to learn. About 80 % of the educational information your child is exposed to at school is visual. It is imperative to schedule an annual appointment with a trusted optometrist. If your child requires some form of corrective vision, however, you should consider scheduling two appointments a year.
In addition to screening your child for near-sightedness or far-sightedness, an optometrist will screen your child for other vision-related issues. Additionally, your child may experience some of the following issues:
- Chronic headaches
- Sensitivity to light
- Blurry vision
- Fatigue (particularly when reading)
- Balancing issues
Be sure to discuss these issues with your optometrist before the appointment begins.
Screen Time
If your child requires glasses or contacts, you should be sure to ask your optometrist for lenses designed to mute florescent and LED lighting. Studies show that the average school-aged child is exposed to 6 hours of "screen time" per day.
This screen time can exacerbated by exposure to fluorescent lighting, which can put additional strain on your child's eyes. Most corrective lenses can be outfitted with a coating or tinting designed to mute these harsh light sources and reduce the strain they place on your child's eyes.
Sports
It may be tough for your child to "keep their eye on ball" if they can't see it in the first place. Regardless of the type of sport your child plays, seeing more clearly and with less strain is likely to improve their enjoyment and performance.
Baseball/Softball - if your child plays baseball or softball they spend hours trying catch, throw, and hit a small, rapidly, moving object. If your child is near-sighted or far-sighted the optimum corrective vision is likely to be found with contact lenses. However, if your child is too young or uncomfortable with contacts, you may want to opt for glasses. If you choose this option you should be sure to outfit them with a pair of custom sunglasses or safety glasses. Safety glasses and sunglasses are not only built with prescription lenses, but they also feature shatter-proof glass and extra-durable frames.
Soccer - before considering corrective vision options, it is important to consult the governing organization your child plays in to understand the types of corrective vision equipment allowed on the field. Most youth soccer organizations prohibit sunglasses, but permit safety goggles. If you decide to purchase safety goggles, you should be sure to choose a pair with removable lenses, thus when your child's vision changes you can simply replace the lenses.
Football/Hockey/Lacrosse - finding a corrective vision solution for young football, lacrosse, and hockey players can be difficult. Not only does your child wear a helmet but you must also be cognizant of protecting their eyes during competition. Similar to soccer or baseball, you can always order a pair of safety goggles, glasses, or sunglasses. In addition to the eyewear you choose for you child you should be sure to choose a strap to keep them in place during competition. You will also want to outfit your child's helmet with a protective visor. These visors come in a variety of styles. You may want to have multiple visor options to suit the conditions your child competes in.
Ensuring that your child has the corrective vision they need to succeed can make a dramatic difference on their performance in the classroom and sports field. If you are interested in learning more about how and optometrist can help your child, check it out.
Share