Protect Your Child's Vision

A New Year's Resolution to Protect Your Child’s Vision

By Christina Elston [LA Parent Health E]

Healthy isn't something you are or aren't. It's a hundred little things: eating a banana, walking in the park, putting a bandage on a boo-boo, playing tag, reading up on ways to keep you and your family well and safe. It's a balance between living well and taking care, and you can start right where you are.

If making a safer environment for your children is one of your New Year’s resolutions, you’ll want to review these easy-to-follow steps from The Vision Center at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. In 2010, don’t let your child’s sight become damaged because of an injury or a failure to diagnose a correctable condition.

1. Reduce Hazards in Your Home and in the Toy Chest

The leading cause of blindness in children in the U.S. is eye injury. Many of these injuries occur at home and most can be prevented. Look around your home from a child’s eye level. Pad or cushion sharp corners, particularly on lower objects, such as coffee tables and put safety latches on all cabinets and drawers that kids can reach, especially ones with potentially dangerous items. Keep all sharp or pointed objects out of your child's hands, and educate them on the importance of carrying items like scissors point-end down when transporting them.

Look in your child’s toy chest and remove any broken or age inappropriate toys. The Consumer Products and Safety Commission reports that more than 230,000 toy-related injuries are treated at U.S. emergency rooms annually. Of those injured, approximately one third of children were under the age of five, and three quarters were under the age of 15. More than 45 percent of injuries were to the head and face. Parents of younger children should avoid toys with sharp edges or hard points, spikes and rods. Don't buy toys that fly or shoot. BB guns are dangerous and should not be in the hands of children; the pellets may not break the skin, but they can easily puncture an eyeball.

2. Take Your Child for a Vision Screening

Studies show that some 75 percent of all children under five in the U.S. have never had a comprehensive eye exam. This is particularly disturbing as certain correctable conditions such as Strabismus (crossed eyes) or Amblyopia (lazy-eye) can be successfully treated, but only if diagnosed before ages 4-6.

When taking your child for a "well child" visit, ask your pediatrician to perform a "red reflex" test on your child’s eyes. In this test, the physician checks the child’s eyes through an ophthalmoscope in a dimly lit room to see if there are any abnormalities in the back of the eye or white spots in the eyeball. The test is used to screen for abnormalities in the eye itself as well as ocular misalignment. If your child wears glasses, make sure to schedule a follow-up visit to see if their prescription has changed. A child’s eyes grow quickly during the first few years of life and their prescription may change several times.

If your child has had a vision exam at school, obtain the results and share them with your physician, even if they are reported to be "normal."

3. Buy Your Child a Pair of Fun-Looking, Protective Sunglasses

Almost 50% of the entire time we spend outdoors in our lifetimes occurs before 12-years of age. According to the physicians at The Vision Center, if it’s bright enough for you to wear sunglasses, your children should be wearing them too. Children also should wear them during summer, when the sun’s rays are most intense, and also for skiing and winter sports. Freshly fallen snow can reflect up to 80 percent of UV radiation. Colorful sunglasses designed for children, with flexible frames and polycarbonate lenses may be purchased at many retail and online outlets. Check to make sure the glasses are made to block both UVA and UVB radiation. All sunglasses block UVB, but some do not block UVA rays, which are damaging to the retina. Children under six may need a pair with Velcro straps to keep them in place.

4. Have Your Kids Wear Protective Eye Gear When Playing Ball Sports

Every year, some 18,000 sports-related eye injuries are seen in U.S. hospital emergency rooms. Sports injuries often result from a child getting hit in the face with a ball or getting poked in the eye with a finger. Some injuries, such as a scratch on the cornea, can be quite painful; others are relatively painless. For example, a forceful blow to the eye can cause a retinal detachment, which is a very serious injury, but may not be painful. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that children wear polycarbonate goggles for baseball, basketball and racket sports, including tennis. Regular glasses are not recommended, since they are generally not secured to the head, nor made from polycarbonate. If your child does get hit in the face or eye and experiences headaches or blurry vision, have him examined by a medical professional.