Back To School Eye Care Tips for Kids

Young Medical Professional Checking the Eyes of Young Boy (8-10)With kids busy running to class, staring endlessly at computer screens, studying or training hard for their school’s athletics program, thinking about maintaining good eye health and safety may not be a top priority in their minds. By taking the time to teach them a few important safety tips, parents can ensure their kids will be able to focus on what really matters: education.Below are a few of the most important things to remember:

1. Get your child an eye exam before school starts: Problems with your children’s vision can be detected through a routine eye exam. It’s important to correct these issues, such as nearsightedness or farsightedness before they create more serious complications such as difficulty learning or the development of recurrent headaches.

2. Kids should wash their hands regularly: According to a study published in the American Journal of Infection Control, more than 164 million school days are missed due to the spread of infectious diseases. Three million of those missed days are the direct result of acute conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye. It’s important to remind your children to wash their hands regularly and avoid touching their eyes as much as possible.

3. Ensure children wear protective eyewear when playing sports: Most eye injuries among kids aged 11 to 14 occur while playing sports, with nearly 35,000 incidents per year according to the National Eye Institute. Protective eyewear, such as goggles or a helmet-mounted eye/face shield, can drastically reduce the risk of serious eye injury. As parents, a great way to help is by setting a good example whenever you participate in sports.

4. Encourage kids to give their eyes a rest: With the school year in full swing, your children will likely be spending a lot of time with their nose stuck in books or staring at the computer screen. Over time, this can cause eye strain, headaches, blurred vision or even nearsightedness. Remind your children to give their eyes a rest every 20 to 30 minutes. It’s a good idea to minimize glare where they are working, as this can force the eyes to work harder than need be.

5. Purchase your children high E-SPF glasses: A lot of activities that kids participate in after school exposes them to the sun’s harmful UV rays. Over time, UV exposure can lead to a host of problems for the eyes, including the early development of cataracts. By purchasing protective, high E-SPF prescription glasses or sunglasses for your child, you’ll foster and encourage their good eye health years to come.

If at any time you suspect your child may be having vision issues, please consult your family eye doctor.

 

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A BRIEF NOTE ABOUT DR. BRIAN

Throughout his highly respected career, cornea specialist Dr. Brian has never wavered with his integrity and dedication to always do the best for each and every patient - even in the face of adversity and peer pressure. Case in point: when he developed a procedure to treat a cornea condition known as Keratoconus. While other eye surgeons were entrenched in performing invasive and painful cornea transplants, Dr. Brian invented a new non-invasive procedure that prevented needing cornea transplants. He was shocked by the medical establishment being unwelcoming to his innovation because, as he later found out, his new procedure was preventing other eye surgeons from performing their lucrative cornea transplants. Dr. Brian persisted, went against the grain and didn’t give up because he believed in himself and in his procedure as it was in the best interest of patients. Eventually, he crossed paths with U.S. Olympic bobsled driver Steven Holcomb who had Keratoconus and became so depressed over it that he tried to commit suicide. Luckily, he survived. The United States Olympic team and his coaches found Dr. Brian and sent Steven to see him. Dr. Brian restored his vision to 20/20 which enabled Steven later win a historic Olympic gold medal for United States in bobsled - the first in 62 years! As a result, Dr. Brian was later invited to give a prestigious TEDx talk about his integrity and dedication to patients. You can watch his moving and inspiring TEDx talk here.

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