Children’s Eye Health Month
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As children get ready to go back to school, it is important to be aware of your child’s vision and eye health. Healthy vision contributes to children’s school readiness, ability to learn and overall healthy development. Often times, symptoms of serious eye conditions may go unnoticed or unreported by children. If symptoms are left untreated, it can become a serious problem.
The American Optometric Association (AOA) recommends children have their eyes examined at 6 months – 1 year and then again at age 3 – 5 right before kindergarten. Discovering any potential problems while they are growing and developing is key. Doctors can help detect the following:
- Nearsightedness
- Farsightedness
- Astigmatism
- Amblyopia (lazy eye)
- Strabismus (crossed eyes)
- Ptosis (drooping of the eyelid)
- Color deficiency (color blindness)
- Retinal conditions
- Allergies
- Other ocular health conditions
Warning signs of vision problems include:
- Wandering or crossed eyes
- Family history of childhood vision problems
- Disinterest in reading or viewing distant objects
- Squinting or turning the head in an unusual manner while watching TV
- Frequent eye rubbing
- Excessive blinking
Children will often not tell you that they cannot see. Early diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders in children are crucial and could prevent long-term vision loss. It is important to have regular eye exams in order to catch any potential conditions or problems.
For more information, click: https://yoursightmatters.com/august-childrens-eye-health-safety-month/