Eye Health in Children

You can encourage visual stimulation in children as newborns and at an early age with the help of pronounced contrasting colours and patterns on toys and decorations.

When a child finds themself in a new environment, give them time to focus on the things around them. Make sure to approach objects from all angles so that the child gets familiar with a wider field of vision. Games that involve hiding and uncovering the eyes of newborns can help encourage coordination between sight and movement. This can also be achieved with very young and school-aged children by passing a ball around.

Nutrients such as zinc, lutein, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins A, C and E have been found to be important for eye health.

Fruits rich in vitamins C and E, such as oranges, strawberries and mangoes, can help repair tissue and prevent infections. Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish can prevent dry eye symptoms and reduce the future risk of cataracts.

Leafy vegetables containing vitamin A, such as spinach and kale, can help fight dry eye and night blindness. Protein from eggs and nuts also helps balance your child’s diet.

It is also important to remember that a healthy diet can also help prevent conditions such as obesity and hypertension, which are also associated with other eye diseases.

It has been proven that a very high percentage of children’s eye injuries can be prevented. As children become more active, equip them with protective glasses made of unbreakable plastic, i.e. polycarbonate lenses.

Look for glasses that are made in accordance with the prescribed standards. In addition, remove any dangerous objects in indoor and outdoor areas where your child spends time playing.

Limit the use of digital devices. As digital learning becomes more common, screens from computers, tablets and mobile phones are more present in children’s lives than ever before.

Keep screens at a sufficient distance from the eyes and encourage your child to take occasional breaks to rest their eyes. This is particularly important because continuous close-up viewing of a screen causes eye strain, which can then cause blurred vision or dry and irritated eyes, as well as problems with concentration.

You may be able to detect vision issues earlier if you notice that your child is struggling with the following:

• lack of interest in distant objects
• squinting
• tilting their head
• holding objects very close to the eyes
• rubbing their eyes
• sensitivity to light
• poor coordination of vision and movement
• lack of interest in reading or looking at distant objects.

If you or your paediatrician suspect that your child has vision problems, schedule an appointment with an ophthalmologist. As a specialist, the ophthalmologist will be able to explain what steps need to be taken when it comes to potential problems with vision development. Most difficulties can be successfully corrected if detected in time. Therefore, with continuous care for eye health, there is no reason to worry.