Have you ever wondered why our children are susceptible to greater risks when it comes to their eyes? Children grow very fast. Their eyes need special care to ensure they are not affected by the lifestyle changes.

Here are 7 ways to protect the eyesight of your child.

#1. Rainbow diet

Nourish your child with a healthy and balanced diet. Malnutrition and poor eating habits can affect the eye development of your child. Eating a rainbow diet i.e brightly colored fruits and vegetables provide provides the body with important antioxidants and nutrients including vitamins and minerals. Colorful vegetables such as carrots, pumpkins, spinach, broccoli etc especially provides carotenoid lutein which protects eyes from damaging light and also promotes eye health. If you are breastfeeding, remember that your baby gets his lutenoids from you and thus ensure that you also follow a healthy diet.

#2. Protect them from injury

Studies suggest that eye injuries are the most common preventable cause of blindness. It is important that you do a good survey of your home and the child’s environment and identify any hazards. Remove any sharp toys or gadgets. Also use of safety gates and handrails can help protect from fall related injuries. Be very careful to keep medicines and cleaning chemicals etc out of reach of children.

#3. Stimulate vision

Infants are encouraged to crawl around to develop, hand-eye coordination. Similarly a mobile with small colourful toys hung above or close to the crib will help your baby. Decorate baby’s nursery or corner of the room in bright colors and also try to change position of their crib or bed so that he can get used to seeing things from different angles. As your toddler grows up, encourage him to play with visually stimulating toys like building blocks, puzzles and colors. Take your kids to a variety of outdoor spaces such as the park or the zoo and if something catches their eyes, give them the opportunity to observe it. Also Read: 7 Best (& Proven) Home Remedies to Treat Low Iron in Kids

#4. Limited screen time

Ideally it is advised not to give small kids much screen time, however in our current world where there gadgets all around us, it is practically impossible to eliminate screen time completely. Whether your child is using a tablet or watching television, always ensure that the lighting is proper. As per leading optometrists prolonged use of digital screens can increase the risk of eye damage in kids due to the strong blue lights emitted by them. Try and limit the screen time to less than an hour over a day and instead encourage them to play games and improve social interaction.

#5. Outdoor activities

We all know that outdoor play is very important for both physical as well as mental growth and development. New research suggests that kids who do not get optimum exposure to sunlight may face vision deterioration. A study by researchers from the University of Guangzhou has shown that kids spending more time outdoors are less likely to develop nearsightedness or myopia.

#6. Keep the eyes clean

The eyes have their own natural safety mechanism but you still have to take certain precautions to keep them free of infections. Always ensure that your hands are clean and nails are trimmed when touching or handling the baby. You can wipe your baby’s eyes very carefully with slightly warm water and soft and clean cloth. For your toddlers it is important that you teach them healthy habits like washing their hands and not touching or rubbing their eyes often. Ensure that you are alert to any eye problems such as watering eyes or crusty eyelids as these could be symptoms of underlying eye infections. Also Read: 13 Super Foods to Improve Babies Immunity

#7. Eye check up

Kids who are very young, may not be able to communicate even if they are struggling with their eye sight or have some trouble in their vision such as blurry vision or nearsightedness. Doctors suggest that it is important to get your child's eyes examined regularly, especially during childhood. Paediatricians suggest that a detailed ophthalmic examination should ideally be carried out before your child’s first birthday. A second examination is again recommended during the toddler years. Any visual difficulties and lens misalignments can be easily identified in these initial screening and then corrective actions can be recommended by the doctor based on further examinations. Doctors also suggest that in children who have siblings or close relatives with significant eye problems, there is a need of more regular eye examinations. Don’t get overwhelmed by these precautions. Instead, just make them a way of your life. Your child’s eyes are beautiful and keeping them healthy is worth the effort! You might also like: Baby Skin Color | 10 Effective tips for a healthy skin (and surprising facts)

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