Debbie Our eyes are obviously critical organs that play a vital role and we only have the one pair, so they do need to be looked after. We have put together a few tips to help you make your kids understand the importance of eye care and protection.
- Sun protection – It is important that your kids understand what UltraViolet light can damage your eyes. You could find a violet coloured pencil and explain how this spectrum of light can be screened when wearing sunglasses, especially those with a UV400 rating. Explain the dangers of looking at the sun and make sure you buy your kids suitable sunglasses that are polarised, which helps to protect them.
- Eye protection – When playing some sports or working with power tools, you should wear eye glasses that are designed to protect the eyes from flying objects. When you are working around the house, make sure that your kids see you wearing eye goggles, then they will understand the dangers.
- Regular eye examinations – Take your kids to the local optometrist in Jannali for regular eye examinations and any vision issues can quickly be remedied with glasses. If your child complains of headaches or blurred vision, this could be due to vision problems and it could impact a student’s performance.
- Digital screens – Spending too much time on digital devices is not for anyone, especially children. Get your kids into the habit of taking a short break after 30 minutes and focusing on objects far away, which reduces strain on the eyes. You should make sure that your kids spend a finite amount of time per day on their digital devices and that they understand the dangers of eye strain. Here is some information on childhood milestones, which are important.
- Online solutions – There are some great eye-care cartoons for kids to motivate them to better understand eye protection; a few minutes on Google should lead you to the right websites. Of course, all material needs to be suitable for the age concerned and animations do help kids to grasp the message. Your local optometrist can also help to teach your kids all about eye care and they can easily be found with an online search. Indeed, there are a lot of free resources online to help you regarding every aspect of parenthood.
- The importance of a balanced diet – It is important that children eat a balanced diet, which is necessary for good eye health; lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, while also watching the amount of sugar in their diet. As we all know, a sugary diet usually leads to tooth decay and it can also cause glaucoma; regular eye examinations with your local optometrist will ensure that all is well. Keep an eye on sweet desserts, as too much sugar is not good for anyone.
We don’t need reminding just how important our eyes are and with the right instruction, your children will understand the need for eye care throughout their lives.
