Children’s Eye Health & Safety Month

August is Children's Eye Health & Safety Month.

When the dog days of summer roll around, that’s the cue for most parents to start their back-to-school planning. Instead of searching for deals on swimsuits, beach bags, and pool toys, we’re chasing down the best bargains on clothing, backpacks, and school supplies.

Amidst all the hurrying and scurrying to get the school year started on the right foot, it’s important not to lose sight of the role healthy eyes play in a young person’s learning experience.

That’s why August has been designated as Children’s Eye Health & Safety Month.

Good eyesight and eye health are especially important for the development of young children, and staying on top of vision concerns should be a priority for parents because it’s not always possible for children to realize when their eyes are not healthy.

Statistics show one out of 20 children between the ages of 3 and 5 has a serious eye problem that could result in permanent vision impairment if left untreated. Yet, 4 out of 5 preschoolers do not receive routine eye screening.

At nJoy Vision, we encourage you to include a comprehensive eye exam in your child’s back-to-school prep. A kid-friendly optometrist can detect common refractive errors like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism, as well as more severe eye conditions like amblyopia (lazy eye), strabismus (crossed eyes), ptosis (drooping of the eyelid), and color deficiency (color blindness).

If you need help finding an eye doctor your kids will love, our amazing network of preferred physicians includes many children’s and kid-friendly optometrists.

The beginning of school also means the beginning of fall sports and other activities that could lead to eye injuries.

Every year, 42,000 Americans suffer a sports-related eye injury, with children making up the majority of those cases. You can help prevent your child from being part of that statistic by following a few basic safety rules:

  • All children should wear the recommended protective eyewear while participating in sports or recreational activities.
  • Children should only have access to age-appropriate toys and avoid toys with sharp or protruding parts.
  • Keep cleaning supplies and sprays out of the reach of children.
  • Teach the proper handling of or altogether avoid projectile toys like darts, bows and arrows, or airsoft/BB guns.

Regardless of how COVID-19 affects the upcoming school year and sports season, now is the perfect time to tackle your kiddo’s eye health. And who knows, “really cool glasses” might end up being your kid’s favorite item on their back-to-school shopping list!

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