Did you know August is National Child eye and safety month! Children are susceptible to a host of vision and eye problems such as injury, infection and increased nearsightedness. In support of Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month in August, the American Academy of Ophthalmology provides information to the public that can help protect and preserve a child’s eye health for life. Eye safety is just as important as eye health. Every year thousands of children sustain an eye injury – 90 percent of which can be prevented if suitable protective eye-wear is used. From sports and recreation, to toys and fireworks, an eye injury can happen at any time. By taking proper precautions (providing age-appropriate toys or proper protective eye-wear), you can protect your child from injury. Always purchase toys that meet the safety standards of American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and provide protective eye-wear, as corrective lenses do not protect the eye; most protective eye-wear is made from a lightweight poly-carbonate and is activity-specific. If your child should experience an eye injury, DO NOT allow child to rub or touch the eye, DO NOT apply medication to the eye, and DO NOT attempt to remove any debris from the eye. If the eye injury is caused by a chemical in the eye, flush the eye with water. For all eye injuries seek medical attention immediately.
We all want our children to be happy and healthy, and we want to protect them from harm. We can best achieve this goal by getting our children yearly wellness check-ups and eye examinations before school, as well as by providing safe toys, environments, and always have adult supervision.
