All In Favor of Protecting Your Vision…Say Eye!
You may have heard the saying, “our eyes are the windows to the world.” Therefore, to raise awareness for the importance of regular eye exams and identifying strategies to prevent eye-related injuries or issues, the American Academy of Ophthalmology has proclaimed August as Children’s Eye Health and Safety Awareness Month.
Eye health and good eyesight should be at the forefront, as they are essential for both physical and cognitive development. Nearsightedness has risen dramatically over the last 50 years. At this rate, without any form of intervention, half the world’s population may be nearsighted by the year 2050. That means much more people in glasses and many more kids today put at risk of developing vision-threatening eye conditions tomorrow.
As we prepare to send our children back to school, Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month serves as the perfect reminder to have your children’s eyes checked regularly. Examinations during annually scheduled pediatric visits should ideally start at 3 years of age and continue onwards. According to statistics, one in four children experience vision problems. Therefore, if you notice your child experiencing any form of eye-related issues, schedule an appointment with an ophthalmologist immediately. A few common symptoms may include blurred or double vision, redness or swelling of the eyes, sensitivity to light, squinting, excessive tearing or drainage, trouble reading, headaches, frequent rubbing the eyes, or changes in vision.
While some eye conditions can not be prevented, more than 90 percent of all eye injuries can be through use of suitable eye protection. Here are four ways you can help protect your child’s eyes:
Ensure properly fitted and appropriate eye protection is worn. Eye protection can provide essential protection in sports, recreations activities like shooting sports or riding all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) or utility task vehicles (UTVs), and completing chores around the home, farm, or ranch, such as mowing the lawn or handling chemicals.
Sunglasses can aid in preventing the development of cataracts and retinal damage. Ensure sunglasses provide 100% ultraviolet (UV) protection from both the ultraviolet A (UVA) rays and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays.
If your child wears eyeglasses and contact lens for close-up or distance vision, it is important that they wear them exactly as prescribed by the doctor. You may want to talk to your child's teachers and other adult guardians to ensure that your child is wearing them while at school and outside the home.
Avoid eye fatigue from smartphones, tablets, and computers. If you or your child notice eyestrain from utilizing one of these devices, the American Optometric Association recommends following the 20-20-20 rule. Look up from your device every 20 minutes and focus on something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. If you notice problems and they persist, it is important to be checked for proper prescription of eyeglasses, contact lenses, or other medical conditions.
As adults, we must role model eye safety and health. If we want our children to protect their vision, we must practice what we preach by wearing protective eyewear for various tasks and getting annual eye exams. Additionally, always provide proper supervision and help manage risks by eliminating potential hazardous in and around the home, like sharp edges on furniture, keeping guards on equipment, and keeping chemicals out of reach.
Seeing truly is believing and we never should take our vision for granted. Therefore, the Progressive Agriculture Safety Day® program offered throughout North America incorporates eye safety and health messages into the numerous hands-on activities and demonstrations offered to reinforce the importance of protecting our eyes from a young age.
The “Safety Day Corner” is a safety message by the Progressive Agriculture Foundation® (PAF), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, with the mission to provide education, training, and resources to make farm, ranch, and rural life safer and healthier for all children and their communities. Recognized as the largest rural safety and health education program for children in North America, the Foundation’s Progressive Agriculture Safety Day® program, has reached more than 1.9 million youth since the program’s inception in 1995. For more information about PAF and its programs, visit: www.progressiveag.org.