National eye health week 2019
Each day this week to celebrate National eye health week 2019 we will be bringing you different focus areas to raise as much awareness around eye health as possible.
Tuesday will focus on Your child's eye health and child's sight.
Your child’s sight is precious.
Good vision helps children to learn, play and communicate with the world around them.
Yet, there are more than a million children in the UK with undetected vision problems.*
Children’s eyes continue to develop until they reach the age of eight, so caring for a child’s eyes in the early years can help lay the foundations for good vision that lasts a lifetime.
There are lots of simple things that you can do to help keep kids’ eyes healthy.
Essential eye checks Having regular sight tests – every two years, unless you’re advised otherwise by your optometrist, is a great place to start. Sight tests will ensure any problems such as childhood conditions like squint and amblyopia (lazy eye) or myopia (short-sightedness) are picked up early. The sooner problems are identified the better the treatment outcome.
Remember sight tests are free on the NHS for all children under 16 years.
Eat a rainbow
Eating a rainbow of colourful fruit and vegetables helps ensure young eyes get the nutrients they need to grow healthily. Foods like tomatoes, grapes and blueberries as well as fish, eggs and whole grains are packed with eye– friendly nutrients.
Go out and play
There is emerging evidence that spending two hours or more a day outdoors can reduce the risk of myopia, even if there is a family history of the condition.
Be safe in the sun
It’s also really important to protect your eyes from the sun. When you’re young the lens at the front of your eye is really clear and lets more of the damaging sunlight in.
So here are 10 ways to help keep childrens’ eyes protected from the sun;
1. Protect their eyes whenever the UV Index rises to three or more.
Visit the Met Office website for information on UV levels.
2. Make sure the eyes and the area around your eyes is fully covered.
3. Wear sunglasses with a CE; UV 400 or British Standard Mark as this ensures they provide adequate UV protection.
4. Never wear toy sunglasses. These offer little UV protection and can actually cause more damage because the tinted lenses dilate the pupil allowing more UV to enter the eye.
5. If your child wears glasses or contact lenses, check their lenses provide UV protection.
6. Wear a hat, cap or visor for added protection.
7. Sit or play in the shade.
8. Stay out of the sun between 12pm and 3pm when the sun’s rays are strongest.
Up to 50 per cent of the total daily UV is emitted between these times!
9. Don’t let them look directly at the sun.
10. Remember the shadow rule... If your shadow is taller than you are your eyes are at greatest risk from UV as your brow bone no longer offers natural protection.
For more information about looking after your eyes visit www.visionmatters.org.uk
All the information used is taken from the free leaflets available in the practice and published by Eye Health UK (registered charity no 1086146). Links to the leaflet are included below;
http://www.visionmatters.org.uk/electronic-resource-centre/electronic-resource-centre
Molsom & Associates is invested in ensuring child's sight is as important as going to the dentist and having feet measured for new school shoes! It's often overlooked as many parents assume their child's sight can not be looked at until their child can read. We have our school visits, where we will come along to local nurseries, pre schools and primary schools giving a fun interactive talk. These visits also include a visit from #molsommole and each child receives a goody bag. These visit can be booked by calling 01775 713366 and speaking to Bridget or Vicky.
