Is It Time for Your Child to See an Eye Doctor?
Signs and Tips from Dr. Eye Health
By: Joseph Allen, OD FAAO, Diplo ABOIf you’re a parent or caregiver, you always want the best for your child, and that includes their eye health. Children rely heavily on their vision performance for learning, playing and making connections in the world, making it crucial to recognize early signs of vision problems. While children are often naturally farsighted, and they might pass basic vision screenings at school or the pediatrician's office, these screenings can miss significant issues that might require more intervention.
Hi, I'm Dr. Joseph Allen, also known as Dr. Eye Health on YouTube, and in collaboration with OmniActive Health Technologies, for its Lutein for Every Age initiative, I’m here to help you identify potential vision issues in your child and offer tips to maintain their eye health.
Recognizing the Signs of Vision Problems
Children might not always be able to express their vision difficulties clearly, but certain behaviors and symptoms can indicate underlying issues. If your child is straining their eye muscles to compensate for vision deficiencies, this could lead to potential problems down the road. As adults, recognizing these subtle signs is crucial for early intervention and treatment.Keep an eye out for the following signs:
- Rubbing Eyes: While occasional eye rubbing can be normal, frequent rubbing may indicate eye strain or fatigue.
- Watering Eyes: Excessive tearing can be a sign of an eye infection or blocked tear ducts and should be examined.
- Red Eyes: This could be a sign of an infection, allergies or inflammation of the middle layer of the eye, the uvea. While uveitis often causes pain and light sensitivity, it's important to know that some children may not experience these symptoms. If left untreated, uveitis can lead to vision loss, so prompt evaluation by an eye doctor is crucial.
- Complaints of Dry Eyes: If your child frequently mentions their eyes feeling dry, it might indicate issues with their tear film or a sign of excessive use of digital devices, or that they are sleeping with their eyes open.
- Frequent Squinting or Blinking: This could be a sign that your child is struggling to see clearly and may need corrective lenses.
- Complaints of Tired Eyes: If your child mentions their eyes feel tired, especially after reading or other close work, it might indicate a vision problem.
- Complaints of Headaches: Headaches, particularly after doing close work like reading, can be a sign of eye strain or an uncorrected vision problem.
- Difficulty Reading: Struggling with reading or frequently losing their place can be a sign of a vision issue.
- Declining Academic Performance: Vision problems can impact your child's ability to perform well in school.
- Irritability, Frustration, or Attention Problems: If your child shows signs of irritability, frustration, or trouble focusing during visual tasks, it may be due to underlying vision issues.
Screen Time Recommendations
I know it’s hard to disconnect in today’s world. Especially if kids are learning in a tech-driven classroom with smartboards, Chromebooks and more. However, in today's digital age, managing screen time is crucial for maintaining good eye health in children and this starts with what’s happening at home. The American Academy of Pediatrics provides clear guidelines to help parents navigate this challenge:- No Screen Time for Children Under 2: Young children’s brains are rapidly developing, and they learn best through interaction with people, not screens.
- One Hour per Day for Ages 2-12: For this age group, screen time should be limited to one hour per day and ideally involve educational and interactive content with parental involvement.
- Two Hours per Day for Teens and Adults: While older children and adults can handle more screen time, it should still be moderated to prevent eye strain and other issues.
- No Screens in the Bedroom: Keeping screens out of the bedroom can help promote better sleep hygiene due to the blue light it emits.
- No Screens Two Hours Before Bedtime: Reducing screen time before bed helps in reducing blue light exposure, which can interfere with sleep patterns. I recommend turning off screens at least one hour before bedtime.
Tips for Healthy Eyes
In addition to managing screen time, here are some tips to maintain your child’s eye health:- Early & Regular Eye Exams: According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), children should have their first comprehensive eye exam at 6 months of age, followed by another exam at age 3, and again before starting school at around age 5 or 6. After that, school-aged children should have an eye exam every one to two years if no vision correction is required. If the child wears glasses or contact lenses, annual exams are recommended.
- Proper Lighting: Encourage your child to read and do homework in well-lit areas to reduce eye strain.
- Take Breaks from Tech: Encourage frequent 2-minute breaks from computer screens to give the eyes and brain a rest.
- Healthy Diet: A balanced diet rich in nutrients like lutein and zeaxanthin, vitamins A, C, and E, and omega-3 fatty acids, can all support eye health. I know it’s hard to get kids to eat fruits and veggies, which contain these vitamins and nutrients, so I recommend supplementing. Check out this video to learn more about lutein and zeaxanthin!
- Outdoor Play: Spending time outdoors has been shown to reduce the risk of myopia (nearsightedness) in children.
- Wear Sunglasses: When your child is outdoors between the hours of 10 am and 4 pm, when the sun is at it’s strongest, encourage them to wear sunglasses that provide 100% UV protection to shield their eyes, eyelids and face from potential sun damage.