12 Things to Know About Children’s Eyes and Vision

As children grow, their eyes go through a lot of changes, including a lot of growth and development. In fact, their eyes will grow rapidly after birth and then will continue to grow during puberty until age 20 or 21. At this point, they will stop growing in size but will continue to increase in weight, as well as undergo age-related changes. 

It is important to pay careful attention to your children’s eyes as they grow so you can catch any problems that might arise, and deal with them immediately. August is Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month, so to raise awareness this month, we have 12 things you need to know about children’s eyes and vision. cigarette butts in an ashtray

  1. Smoking can harm an unborn baby’s eyes; in addition, if a baby is born premature, as many babies born to smokers are, they are more likely to have permanent vision loss or even blindness.
  2. By 3 months old, babies’ eyes should focus and follow objects; by 5 months old, babies are seeing in three dimensions and developing perception.
  3. At around 9 months old, a baby’s eyes have nearly turned their finalized color.
  4. Strabismus, also known as hypertropia and crossed eyes, occurs in around 4% of children in the US. This condition is a misalignment of the eyes, which causes one eye to deviate inward (esotropia) toward the nose, or outward (exotropia), while the other eye remains focused. If you suspect your child has this condition, seek evaluation so it can be corrected.
  5. Young children are more likely than adults to get eye damage from chemical burns, because these burns can permanently damage the external and internal eye structures as they are developing. That means there are multiple reasons why it’s important to make sure that children don’t have access to any cleaning products or chemicals. If an accident does happen, flush their eyes with plenty of water and go to the nearest emergency room.little boy looking at a tablet
  6. Looking at a TV screen or tablet too much can cause myopia (nearsightedness), and digital eye strain. In order to prevent myopia, it is important to have your children follow the 20-20-20 rule: make sure they look up from the screen every 20 minutes and focus at least twenty feet away for at least 20 seconds.
  7. There are some more subtle signs of childhood vision problems you should be aware of, including loss of interest in activities that they used to enjoy, losing their place when reading, and turning their head to look at something in front of them.
  8. Many people think that only older adults get cataracts, but children can get cataracts, too- they can either be born with them or develop them after birth.
  9. Taking photos of your children can help to diagnose certain eye problems. If you see what’s known as a “red reflex” on their eyes in a photo (a reflective phenomenon that creates a reddish-orange glow when light passes through the pupil and is reflected back off the retina to a viewing aperture) this is a warning sign that something might be wrong with your child’s eyes. Also, if there is a reflection of the camera flash off the retina that is white, yellow, or black in one or both eyes, this is also a sign that something is wrong.
  10. Color blindness is more common in boys than in girls, but it can be harder to detect. One of the signs to look out for is the inability to tell the difference between shades of the same or similar colors.
  11. Eye injuries are the most common cause of vision loss in children, and most often occur when they’re playing sports. Eye injuries can be prevented by having your child wear protective goggles when they are playing sports such as baseball, basketball, football, etc.
  12. Eyes can get sunburned just like skin can – a condition called photokeratitis – which causes pain, redness, and tears. Make sure your children (and you) wear sunglasses to protect their eyes from harmful UV rays.

    little boy in black glasses
    It is very important to get your children’s eyes checked as recommended by The American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Getting Checked Regularly

Eye health is very important for your children, especially as they are physically developing, and learning in school. That’s why you should never skip their regular vision screenings; these screenings can help detect and correct any eye problems early before they get worse. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends vision screenings for children when they are in preschool and elementary school, as well as if they are experiencing any vision problems. 

Taking your child to the eye doctor can help catch any conditions that your child’s pediatrician or school nurse cannot, but some health insurance plans don’t cover vision care – so if you are interested in a more comprehensive health insurance plan that does offer great vision care, EZ can help! Our agents work with the top-rated insurance companies in the country, and we can compare all available plans and find the best, most affordable plan for your family’s needs. To get free instant quotes, simply enter your zip code in the bar above, or to speak to a licensed agent, call 888-350-1890. No obligation!

The Importance Of Eye Care For Children

August is Children’s Eye Health and Safety Awareness Month, so let’s all take a moment and think about when we last took our children to the optometrist to get their eyes checked. If you’re like a lot of parents, you might not have taken them in a long time, or even ever, if they’ve never shown any obvious signs of vision impairment. Getting regular eye exams, though, is not something we should put off; after all, according to the CDC, approximately 6.8% of children younger than 18 in the United States have a diagnosed eye or vision condition, with studies suggesting that 10% of preschoolers and 25% of school-aged children have vision issues. This month, we want to help raise awareness about the importance of eye care for your children, and how keeping on top of their eye health can help your child succeed. 

How Often Your Child Should Get Checkedinfographic for eye care

Your child should see an optometrist for their first eye exam when they are around 6 months old. The doctor will check their eye movement patterns, as well as check for any eye health issues that could need correction, like astigmatism, farsightedness, and nearsightedness. After this initial eye exam, your child should be seen again at least once between the ages of 2 and 5; this is important because, according to the American Optometric Association, 1 in 4 children wear or need glasses by the time they are in kindergarten! Once your child is 6 years old, you should take them to the optometrist every year for vision screenings (your pediatrician might do these at their annual well visits, as well). 

Why It Is Important To Get Regularly Checked

As children grow, their eyes change quickly, so the best way to catch any problems early on is by getting their eyes checked regularly. Not only that, but making sure your child’s eyes are healthy is vital to their education: according to the American Optometric Association, about 80% of learning in school occurs through visual activities like reading, writing, and using computers, so if your child has undiagnosed eye issues, they can end up having difficulty keeping up in school. They can become easily fatigued and have problems with attention because they are struggling; in addition, if they play sports, their vision could cause hand-eye coordination problems, and they could get injured.

While your pediatrician and your child’s school do perform annual vision screenings, these screenings will only test whether your child’s vision is 20/20, or if they have issues seeing things that are close up or far away. These simple screenings cannot recognize or point out any specific eye conditions your child may be experiencing – in fact, around 60% of vision problems go undetected with one of these screenings.  

Early Signs Of Eye Conditions

young caucasian girl sitting down rubbing her eyes
Your child rubbing their eyes is a sign that they might have eye issues.

Children might not realize that they have vision issues, or might be having issues but won’t complain to you about them, so it’s important for you to be aware of the common signs and symptoms of eye conditions, and seek help if necessary. Common signs of vision issues in children can include:

  • Squinting
  • Frequently rubbing their eyes
  • Straining or turning their head to look at things
  • Lazy eye
  • Color blindness
  • Blurry or distorted vision, which is a sign of astigmatism
  • Frequent headaches
  • Covering one eye
  • Holding things close to their face
  • Short attention span
  • Difficulty with hand-eye coordination while playing sports 

Ways You Can Protect Your Children’s Eye Health

There are some proactive things you can do to improve your child’s eye health, including:

  • Look for the common signs of eye issues above.
  • Provide a balanced diet- nutrients such as zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins A, C, and E are all beneficial to eye health. 
  • Protect their eyes with necessary eyewear- if your child is active and plays sports,  make sure to provide them with protective eyewear made with shatterproof plastic. Research shows that 90% of childhood eye injuries can be prevented!young caucasian boy sitting at a table looking at a tablet
  • Limit use of digital screens– try to keep screens 18-24 inches from their eyes and encourage them to follow the 20-20-20 rule, which means they should try to look up from the screen every 20 minutes and look at something at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds. 
  • Attend regular eye exams!

Getting regular, thorough eye exams and treating any vision conditions is important for your child’s health, as well as for their academic success. Taking your child to the optometrist can help catch any conditions that your child’s pediatrician or school nurse cannot, but some health insurance plans do not cover vision care – so if you are interested in a more comprehensive health insurance plan that does offer great vision care, EZ can help! Our agents work with the top-rated insurance companies in the country, and we can compare all available plans and find the best, most affordable plan for your family’s needs. To get free instant quotes, simply enter your zip code in the bar above, or to speak to a licensed agent, call 888-350-1890. No obligation!