About this topic
Your childs eyes and vision are important. Your child's eyes continue to develop even after birth. Over the first few months your child learns to focus their eyes and use them together. It is common that your baby's eyes seem to move in different directions during the first month or two. As your baby gets older, his eyes will move in the same direction. The muscles get stronger and stronger each day. ‚
It is important to know how to care for your child's eyes the right way. Your child's doctor will take care of problems early. Taking steps to care for your child's eyes can keep them healthy for years. ‚
General
The eyes are one of the most important parts of our body. Caring for your childs eyes include making sure your child has: ‚
- Regular eye checkups
- Good eye protection
- Eye rest from TV and computer screen time
- Clean eyes
Regular Checkups ‚
- Children should have their first eye exam at 6 months old. Babies who are born early should have their eyes examined sooner.
- The doctor will often test how well your child is able to see when your child is 3 to 4 years old. The doctor will test how well your child's eyes work and move together.
- When your child is about 5 years old, they may start to have regular testing at school or the doctor's office to check how well they are able to see.
- Take your child to have their eyesight checked each year if they wear glasses or contact lenses.
Proper Eye Protection ‚
- Protect your child's eyes from the sun. Have your child wear sunglasses that protect from UV light or wear a hat to shade the eyes.
- Have your child wear goggles or visors when playing sports. Wearing glasses is not the same as wearing protective goggles for sports activities. Be sure to get the proper eye protection for sport activities.
- Have your child read in a well lit room.
- Avoid staring into bright lights.
Eye Breaks ‚
- Limit screen time, especially for young children. This includes time spent in front of the television, computer, video games, or phone.
- Remind your child to take regular eye breaks at school or when doing homework. Take breaks every 15 minutes. Tell your child to close their eyes or look at something far off.
- Remind your child to blink from time to time. When our eyes are busy with reading or the computer, we tend to blink less.
- A cool, clean cloth on your child's eyes can help tired eyes feel better.
Cleaning Your Child's Eyes ‚
- Clean your child's eyes gently each day. Wipe your child's face with a clean wet cloth. You can also use mild soap, such as baby shampoo, to wash your child's eyelids and lashes. Wipe from the inside to the outside of the eye.
- Avoid putting pressure on your child's eye sockets while cleaning them.
- When something gets inside your child's eye, remind them not to rub it. Wash your child's eyes with clean lukewarm water. Try to have your child open their eyes while washing them.
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What problems could happen?
- Injury to an eye
- Infection
- Tired eyes
- Loss of eyesight
- Cataracts
When do I need to call the doctor?
Your child has signs of: ‚
- Eye problems like tearing, redness, rubbing the eye, light sensitivity, or cannot recognize colors, shapes, letters, or numbers
- Trouble seeing, like squinting, problems reading, sitting close to the TV, or not able to see blackboard at school
- Poor vision, like cannot recognize colors, shapes, letters, or numbers
- Poor eye alignment, like eyes do not move together, one eye seems to wander, or eyes seem to cross
- White pupil instead of black pupil
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you about your child. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my childs condition.
- I can tell you how to care for my child's eyes.
- I can tell you what I will do if my child has trouble seeing, eye problems, or poor eye alignment.
Where can I learn more?
American Academy of Ophthalmology ‚
http://www.geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/living/children-vision-development.cfm ‚
American Academy of Pediatrics ‚
http://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/eyes/Pages/Vision-Screenings.aspx ‚
Kids Health ‚
http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/eyes/vision.html ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚