Introduction
The back-to-school season is one where it’s hard to think about anything but new notebooks and backpacks. With the flurry of building routines and making sure everyone will get to school on time, it’s natural to want to focus on the basics that you’ll need right away: clothing, desks, backpacks, notebooks, pencils, and crayons. However, when it comes to getting your kids ready for school, there is more than just finishing homework that has to be done. Going to an eyecare provider earlier than later is a routine you should get into at least annually for children, even if they don’t have a health or vision issue at the moment.
But as a parent or as an eyecare provider, you may have experienced your child or patients not listening to you. This can be frustrating as a parent or eyecare provider, especially if you’re trying to get them to do something that’s important for their health and well-being. With this article, we’ll take a look at some tips on how to prevent blindness in children by making it fun and creating a familiar environment.
Start Early.
Don’t forget to start early. The eyes are developing from birth, so it’s important to get your child in and set reminders for your younger patients to come in for regular eye examinations as soon as possible.
Start by making sure they see an optometrist or ophthalmologist before they hit five years old. If there are no problems at that time, continue with annual visits after that. The younger a child is when they receive their first exam, the more likely they will be compliant with future eye care exams and treatment recommendations.
Take a Trip.
When you get home from school, make sure the kids go outside for a little bit. The fresh air and sunlight can help prevent eye damage that may result from prolonged screen time. If you have a backyard, this is easy—just let them run around or play a game of tag with their friends. If not, take them on a walk around the neighborhood and see what interesting things they discover!
In addition to getting outdoors, it’s important that children exercise regularly as well. Regular physical activity helps strengthen muscles around the eyes which will reduce eye strain and prevent injury when reading in dim lighting conditions (like when using screens).
It’s also important that kids engage in other activities besides reading on screens: crafts like painting and drawing can be just as stimulating without causing damage to your child’s vision! Plus there are tons of recipes online that would make great projects for both adults and children alike!
Make it Fun.
- Make it a game.
- Use stickers, prizes, and rewards to keep them interested both at home and in-office.
- Make it a social event.
- Use a mirror to help the child see the eye chart.
- Use children’s favorite characters as a way to make it fun.
Create A Familiar Environment.
Get the kids used to the idea of being in a bright, clean environment.
Make it a pleasant experience.
Remember, they are still kids! Let them have fun with this new responsibility. If you’re not having fun, or if it feels like work for you or your child, then stop and think about how to make this process more enjoyable for everybody involved.
Take your time, and have patience.
Having patience is key to making sure your child or your younger patients understand what you are trying to teach them. It will also help you not get frustrated when they need more time with certain activities, or if they don’t seem to understand what you’re saying right away. The most important thing is that any learning process takes time!
Your child should be allowed plenty of time for each activity, and if you find yourself getting frustrated because the lesson isn’t going as smoothly as expected, try taking a break from teaching for an hour or so (or even longer if needed). Remember: having patience and being patient go both ways in this situation! Your patience will pay off in the end because once your child does understand everything, he/she won’t forget it either!
Children can be quite difficult when it comes to getting them to take care of their eyes, but by following these few tips you should find the process more pleasant and ultimately more effective.
Make sure they do it. You may have to be firm and set a deadline so that they know you mean business.
Find ways to make the process fun for them. If your child enjoys reading, for example, you could use this as an opportunity to read together with them more often or help them find books about vision care and eye safety that might interest them.
Don’t forget about yourself! Eye health is important for everyone, not just children—so take care of yourself too!
Conclusion
We hope that these tips have given you some insight into how you can help your children take care of their eyes. It’s important to remember that the best way to prevent blindness in children is through prevention, and the earlier we start taking care of our eyes the better off we will be as adults. Children are a great way to get started on this journey, so make sure that they know what they need to do when they begin school!
