August: Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month

It is estimated that 80% of classroom education is taught visually?  As you get ready to start the school year, add an annual eye exam to the immunizations and school orientations you already have planned.

Your child’s eye doctor can help detect refractive errors such as nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism as well as the following diseases:

• Amblyopia (lazy eye)

• Strabismus (crossed eyes)

• Ptosis (drooping of the eyelid)

• Color deficiency (color blindness)

Throughout the year, keep a look out for warning signs that may indicate a vision problem. Some of these include:

• Wandering or crossed eyes

• A family history of childhood vision problems

• Disinterest in reading or viewing distant objects

• Squinting or turning the head in an unusual manner while watching television

Eye Safety is another part of maintaining healthy vision. Eye injuries are the leading cause of vision loss in children. There are about 42,000 sports-related eye injuries every year in America, and children suffer most of these injuries.

• All children should wear protective eyewear while participating in sports or recreational activities

• Purchase age-appropriate toys for your children and avoid toys with sharp or protruding parts

Some medical plans include a basic eye exam, and additional vision insurance is also offered by Spirit.

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