Taking care of children's eyes

Most parents returning from their vacation are busy buying schoolbags, diaries, pencil cases and all is needed for their kids to go back to school.Only a few seem to be concerned about the health of their children's eyes after a summer in the sun.

Children cannot take part in school activities with confidence if they cannot see well; therefore, this is a good time to plan an eye test and, if necessary, provide a pair of glasses that are easy to wear in a style the child likes to avoid embarrassment or rejection.

Today kids want 'fashionable' glasses, just like the trendy models adults wear, made in plastic and with bright colors; parents should not ignore these factors.
Once the all-important question of look has been tackled, it is crucial to take action to better protect eye health and vision care, even for very young children.

One of the most innovative technologies available to consumers today are photochromic lenses. Perfectly clear and transparent indoors, they darken automatically when exposed to sunlight and they block out 100% of the damaging UVA and UVB rays.

Whether at school or at home, it is essential to remember that:

-children's eyes are not fully developed, so they are more vulnerable than adults' eyes. They are also more prone to the damage caused by sun rays. A good 75% of the UV rays enters the lens of a child's eye, whereas this drops to just 10% in an adult eye.

-Children are constantly on the move so they tend to have more accidents than adults. That's why they need lenses that are safe and, above all, shock resistant.

-Wearing glasses can cause embarrassment and psychological resistance in children.

-Children spend most of their time outdoors; it is estimated that 80% of the exposure to the sun takes place before they reach 18.

-The number of children who spend hours in front a computer or playing videogames is increasing.

-Children don't change their glasses when, for example, they go from a closed classroom to an external environment and vice-versa. The effect of a change in light conditions is underestimated, but it can cause substantial problems for the eyes.

And outside school hours, maximum eye protection and safety must also be provided for sports activities. Kids who do sport and also need corrective lenses must wear polycarbonate lenses with frames designed to be shockproof.

Throughout the world there are more than 12 million children of school age who have vision problems, but only 14% have their eyes examined by an optician before they start school.
This fact must not be underestimated: children with sight problems are not always aware that they see things differently to other people. Currently, 1 child in 20 of pre-school age has this problem and the phenomenon increases to 1 in 4 children who already to go to school.
Without diagnosis and early intervention, children's vision problems can lead to learning difficulties and worsen considerably over time.
It must be remembered that vision problems can be diagnosed and treated only by an optician.

Symptoms of possible vision problems

How the eyes appear:

-the eyes are not aligned, one eye tends to look to the side
-the lids are reddened, encrusted or swollen
-the eyes are bright or red (inflamed)

How the child behaves:

-frequent blinking
-closes or covers one eye
-the head is tilted sideways or forwards
-problems with reading or doing other activities, holds objects close to the eyes to see them better
-blinks or appears to be agitated when doing activities that require close up vision
-difficulty in focusing on objects
-looks sideways and knits eyebrows

What the child says:

-'I can't see very well'
-after doing something that requires precision, 'my head aches', 'I feel sick/I don't feel well' or 'I feel dizzy'
-'my eyes are itching', 'my eyes are burning'
-'everything is fuzzy' or 'everything is double'

What can happen if a child's vision problems are not diagnosed in time:

-Children who are further 'behind' at school can create a situation of imbalance within the class and slow down scholastic programs. This can generate psychological tensions which have a negative impact on the entire school year.
-Children who 'remain behind' are more exposed to the risk of psychological setbacks and are tempted to abandon their studies.
-It has been ascertained that pupils whose only problem had subsequently been revealed to be weak eyesight, were negatively evaluated by teachers with regard to 'learning difficulties', and were even assigned to special support programs.
-It has been demonstrated that, in some cases, a child's aggressive or incorrect behavior stemmed from problems of insufficient sight.

Insufficient and inadequate sight, even for a short time, can negatively affect the overall outcome of education, with ensuing repercussions on future employment and social activities.When the problems are timely diagnosed, however, generally there is an overall improvement in the entire learning process.

(Source: Transitions)