These days children spend more time on mobile phones, video games, computers and television. The children are spending more time on computer screens, television sets and other gadgets including mobile phones. The increased exposure to screens of various kinds poses a threat to their eyes.
Many children are developing eye problems or vision issues at an early age. It’s important for parents to keep a watch on their children to protect them from the harmful effects of bright screens.
1. Healthy diet and good sleep: The first thing you should take care of is a child’s diet. Include nutritious foods in the daily diet of children such as fruits, vegetables, eggs, fish, and dairy products. These are all good sources of Vitamin A, which keep the eyes healthy. Ensure that apart from a healthy diet, the children should get a good amount of sleep so that their eyes can relax and they can get proper rest.
2. Use of glasses: If the child’s eyesight is weak, then keep in mind that they must use glasses while reading or watching any screen. Always use eyeglasses of good quality lenses after consulting an ophthalmologist. Restrict the use of phones, computers and TV by children. Also, don’t allow children to watch TV or use gadgets a few hours before going to bed.
3. Increase Time Spent Outdoors: Studies have shown that outdoor activities are very much helpful for a kid’s development. Therefore, incorporate more outdoor activities for your children like swimming or cycling. These outdoor activities promote physical fitness as well as improve hand-eye coordination for your kids.
4. Encourage Healthy Eye Care Habits: Always encourage your children to maintain healthy eye care habits like telling them to read or play under adequate lighting. When reading, the child should keep the book away from their eyes for about 30-40cm. The distance from eyes for electronic devices should be at least 50cm.
5. Scheduled Eye Check-Up: It is advisable for children to have an eye test done at an interval of every 6 months. By doing this, changes in the eyesight are quickly noticed and any abnormality noticed early could be fixed easily.
