A child’s vision is one of his or her most valuable learning tools. Therefore, maintaining optimum vision health is imperative to optimal learning. According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), vision is the key to good learning because it improves recognition, comprehension, and retention, all of which are crucial as children develop and grow from toddlers to adults. Here are a few tips parents can follow to maintain and improve their children’s eye health.
Maintain Routine Eye Exams
Keeping up on your child’s routine eye health exams is the best way to manage and improve their eye wellness and vision. The AOA recommends that children between the ages of six and 18 years of age should have a comprehensive eye exam before first grade, and then every two years after that. For children with vision issues, annual exams are recommended, unless your eye care specialist recommends a different frequency. While Charleston schools do provide vision and hearing exams, you’ll still want to bring your child in to see us on regular basis, as we can provide prescriptions for glasses (and contacts for older kids), and can recommend other methods to improve your child’s overall vision health.
Encourage Frequent Breaks from Electronics
It seems that kids of all ages these days are glued to their cell phones and other handheld devices. Using electronic devices, staring at computer screens, reading books, writing, and notetaking every day means your child’s eyes and supportive ocular muscles could benefit from some rest. By encouraging frequent breaks from electronic devices, parents can help support their kid’s healthy eye function, improved focus, and better concentration. Additionally, teach your children to keep a safe distance from electronic screens to help prevent eye strain, blurred vision, and future eye issues.
Being proactive and adding these practices into a child’s daily routine is a great way parents can keep an eye on their children’s eye health. Tune in next time as we look at more ways to enhance your child’s eye wellness and vision. Contact Crescent Eye Care to schedule the whole family for an eye exam.