Book your child in for an eye examination

Are you gearing up for your kids heading back to school this month? Have you thought about how their eye health fits into that? Around 80% of what children learn comes from their visual experience, so it’s important to keep a close watch on their eye health. This August is Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month, which is why we thought now would be a good time to share our top 5 tips to keep your children’s eyes healthy for clearer vision all year round!

Now is the time to book that eye examination for your child with one of our highly experienced eye doctors in Oak Lawn, Chicago. The earlier childhood visual problems are detected, often, the easier they are to correct.

Nearsightedness can be easily corrected with glasses or contact lenses, whilst other conditions, such as lazy eye in kids (also known as amblyopia) and crossed eyes (strabismus) may require additional, more complex treatment.

One in 20 children in the USA aged between 3 and 5 years has a problem with their vision that could result in permanent visual impairment without treatment. With regular children’s eye exams, treatment for any conditions picked up can be given sooner, so you child can get back to enjoying school and play.

Make sure your child is ready to play sports

Every year in America, there are around 42,000 sport-related eye injuries and sadly children are the majority of those affected. Wearing appropriate eyewear is all it takes to protect your child’s vision. Today, sports eyewear is often available with prescription lenses so if your child is near- or far-sighted they can still safely be in on the action.

Give your child age-appropriate toys

For younger children, who aren’t yet aware of potential dangers to their vision, it is important to make sure that they only play with age-appropriate toys. Anything with sharp or protruding parts presents a risk for an eye injury!

Look out for the signs of pink eye

Heading back to school means being in close contact with lots of other children, which makes catching conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink eye, more likely. Signs to look out for in your child include burning, sore and red eyes with either watery discharge or sticky pus. Treatment depends on the kind of pink eye. Viral pink eye treatment involves relieving the symptoms by placing a cool, wet washcloth on their eyes, while antibiotic eye drops are sometimes used for bacterial pink eye.

Teach your child about good contact lens care

Certain eye conditions are more common among contact lens wearers, especially if they don’t know how to take care of their contacts properly. Old or ill-fitting contact lenses can scratch the cornea and cause blood vessels to grow into the cornea, which will damage your child’s vision. Contact lenses that are not cleaned and disinfected properly can lead to eye infections. Make sure you teach your child exactly how to look after their contact lenses so they can avoid these eye conditions.

If you’re concerned about your child’s eye health or simply want to get the all clear before they go back to school, our eye doctors in Oak Lawn are here to help with your children’s eye exams. Book them in now to help them get a head start for the new school year!