– Dr. Ritika Sachdev, Additional Director at Center For Sight
Eye problems in children are common and need special attention. This is because the child is still in its developing years and anything that interferes with this development can lead to permanent defects and long-term problems. Some problems, if not tackled on time, can even lead to a complete vision loss in a few cases. This is why child eye care is important.
Through this article, we will have a brief look at some of the common eye problems in children and focus on some child eye care tips that may prove beneficial for your child’s eye health.
Common Eye Problems in Children and Their Causes
The most common problems that affect the children’s eyes are Refractive Errors including Nearsightedness and Farsightedness, Strabismus (aka Squint), Lazy eye (aka Amblyopia), Developmental Abnormalities, Childhood Glaucoma, Cataract and many more.
These problems can be caused by a variety of reasons including developmental insults, delay in recognizing need for spectacles, weak ocular muscles, damage to the optic nerve etc. Knowing and understanding the causes which can lead to child eyesight deterioration is important to maintain your child’s eye health.
Tips for Child Eye Care
Child eye care should be an important component of the child’s health needs. This is because any eye problems that are left untreated or not treated on time can permanently hamper your child’s vision. So, to help you take good care of your child’s eyes, here are a few tips for child eye care:
1. Take your child for regular eye checkups
Many problems in a child’s eye are silent and may be uncovered only on examination by an eye specialist who has specialized in problems of children’s eyes (a Pediatric Ophthalmologist). Therefore, having scheduled appointments with a Pediatric ophthalmologist is necessary during your child’s growing years. These checkups help to recognize any eye related problems early and address them timely. Protect your child’s eyes from dust and sun damage
The UV rays from the sun and the dust particles in the air can have many harmful effects on your child’s eyes. Hence, it becomes important to protect them by using hats or sunglasses.
2. Focus on your child’s diet
Attention to the diet of a growing child is important as it affects functioning of all organs including the eyes. Make sure to consult your pediatrician and add food items which are rich in Vitamin -A. These foods include green leafy vegetables, milk and milk products, fish and all fruits and vegetables that are yellow and orange in color (like Carrot, Papaya, Mango, Sweet Potato etc).
3. Do not ignore any warning signals
Vision and eye-related complaints of a child should not be ignored. Make sure you take the following warning signs seriously-
– Your child squints or tilts head to one side to see better
-He/she is holding a book too close while reading
-Your infants eyes are not aligned
-Your child complains about blurry vision or pain in the eyes
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