5 Things to Know About Children’s Eye Health

Children’s eyes change quickly as they grow. Careful attention can help catch eye health problems early, while their eyes are still developing.

 1. Watch for misalignment, or one eye that looks straight ahead while the other eye looks inward, outward, upward or downward.

2. Eye injury is the leading cause of blindness in children. It’s important to wear protective goggles made of polycarbonate lenses while playing sports and participating in other activities that have a risk of eye injury.

3. Three not-so-obvious signs of vision problems are:

• Quick loss of interest in activities that require extensive eye use
• Losing their place when reading
• Turning their head to look at something in front of them

4. Blue light from digital devices is not dangerous, but screen time should be limited late in the day to prevent sleep problems from blue light.

5. Healthy vision is key to physical development, success in school and overall well being. Regular vision screenings are important for detecting and correcting eye problems. Screenings are recommended:

• For infants
• Between the ages of 3 & 4
• When entering elementary school
• If experiencing a vision problem

Content adapted from the American Academy of Ophthalmology