Adopting healthy lifestyle habits is essential for maintaining eye health. If you have children, then it’s even more important to encourage these healthy habits so they know how to preserve their eye health throughout their lives. With these habits, your children will be able to enjoy good vision well into old age. Here’s how you can look after your children’s eye health and teach them good eye care behaviors.
Sunglasses
UV rays from the sun can cause a lot of damage over time. In addition to damaging the skin, UV rays are also harmful to the eyes and can potentially cause issues such as cataracts. This is why you should teach your children about the importance of wearing sunglasses, especially if it’s particularly sunny.
If your children need prescription sunglasses, then you can shop prescription glasses online at FramesDirect.com. These sunglasses will protect your children’s eyes from the sun while also correcting their vision if needed.
Healthy diet
We all know that a healthy, balanced diet is necessary for children (and adults too), but did you know that certain foods can maintain eye health and decrease the risk of future eye conditions? Foods like green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, and oily fish contain nutrients such as vitamins C and E, fatty acids, and omega-3, which are great for the eyes. These nutrients reduce inflammation and free radical damage in the eyes, which reduces the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD) later in life. Therefore, if you want to improve and preserve your children’s eyesight, you should try to incorporate these foods into their diet.
Sleep
In addition to a healthy diet, kids need plenty of sleep to preserve their eye health and overall health. Children need much more sleep than adults – the younger they are, the more they need. You should ensure that your kids get the recommended amount of sleep to protect them from various health issues, including eye strain and irritation. Sleeping allows the eyes to rest and replenish themselves, which makes sleep extremely important for eye health.
Less screen time
Eye issues caused by a lack of sleep can be exacerbated by excessive screen time. Just like a lack of sleep, too much screen time can lead to eye strain and fatigue, which could affect your children’s eyesight later in life. Make sure your kids break up their screen time with other activities to reduce eye strain.
Optometrist appointments
Scheduling optometrist appointments for the whole family will teach your kids about the importance of eye health. In addition, the optometrist will be able to identify any potential issues with your child’s eyes early on, which will make treatment easier if it’s needed. Usually, it’s a good idea to take your children to see the optometrist every couple of years.
Teaching your children healthy eye care behaviors will help them preserve their vision throughout their lives. By encouraging them to wear sunglasses, eat healthily, get enough sleep, reduce their screen time, and see the optometrist, your kids will be able to maintain their eye health well into the future.
