How to take care of my child’s eyesight?

Nowadays, children spend less and less time outdoors playing with things other than screens. While this might seem benign, it can actually cause some issues in the development of your child’s vision.

A new study published in the Lancet Digital Health closely links the development of myopia to a lifestyle spent indoors more than to genetics. So what can you do if your child develops a vision problem?

How to preserve your child’s vision through natural methods

Childhood is a crucial stage of your child’s development. This is when their vision sharpens and changes the most, and a perfect stage to implement healthy habits to preserve your kid’s vision.

By getting them outside

According to Jeffrey Anshel, OD’s 20-20-20 rule, preventing myopia from developing in children is closely linked to them having an active lifestyle. As parents, you should aim at having them take a 20-second break after every 20 minutes of close work and have them look at objects at least 20 feet away.

You should also favor them playing outside rather than inside. A recent study published in the American National Library of Medicine has shown that an increase of 76 minutes per day spent outdoors could reduce a child’s chance of becoming nearsighted by 50%.

By eating the right types of food

While studies differ, most experts agree that it is a factor to consider for your kid’s general health and eyesight.

A balanced diet rich in nutrients such as zinc, lutein, vitamins, or omega-3 fatty acids can be beneficial to your child’s vision over time. Here are some foods you can implement:

• Green and leafy vegetables
• Nuts and seeds
• Legumes
• Oil
• Whole grains
• Fruits, such as avocados

They are foods rich in nutrients and healthy fats, which are great for helping your child’s development.

How to preserve your child’s vision through medical methods

Natural ways can complement more advanced medical techniques to improve your child’s eyesight.

By spotting warning signs of a troubled vision early on

These symptoms can be observed at home and should prompt a visit to an eye-care professional.

These can be:

• Squinting while staring at a TV or a classroom board
• Complaining of regular headaches
• Trouble seeing from far away
• Rubbing of the eyes
• Itchiness or redness of the eye
• Blurry vision while looking at an object

If your child experiences such symptoms, bring them to your eye-care professional for an eye exam.

Take them for regular eye examinations

Spotting the correct symptoms can sometimes take time. By making sure to take your child to regular eye examinations, an eyesight issue can be caught early on, minimizing the risk of more severe problems developing later on.

Make sure to have an annual check-up with your eye-care professional. In addition, you can monitor your child’s vision at home and avoid early vision troubles.

By opting for new medically-proven methods

While most eyesight issues are non-reversible, they can be managed using the right technology. Your child can be prescribed contacts or glasses, for example, to correct their troubled vision on the spot, although they won’t be able to control its progression.

To prevent the further progression of myopia, you should turn to new technologies, which are being developed to not only correct but to treat your kid’s vision in the long run.

Our Diffusion Optics Technology™ (DOT) lenses are built specifically for this purpose. They can correct and treat your child’s myopia and are true pioneers in myopia management solutions that have clinically proven effects in slowing down myopia progression in children between 6-10 years old  (1).

Conclusion

A healthy lifestyle is linked to many health benefits, such as good vision. By encouraging your kids to play outside and eat nutrient-rich foods, they will have all the assets necessary for good eyesight development. And if myopia still sneaks in, make sure to inquire about our clinically-approved Diffusion Optics Technology™ (DOT) lenses.

(1) Joe Rappon, Carol Chung, Graeme Young, Christopher Hunt, Jay Neitz, Maureen Neitz, Thomas Chalberg: Control of myopia using diffusion optics spectacle lenses: 12-month results of a randomised controlled, efficacy and safety study (CYPRESS)