These days, kids spend more time in front of the digital screen than outside activities, and they start using their parents’ mobile phones from an early age. Moreover, children’s screen time has increased due to their online classes, particularly after the pandemic.
But, the fact is that screens always hurt kids’ eyes, no doubt. However, you can do some simple things other than buying children’s glasses to reduce the adverse effects of computer rays.
Table of Contents
Improve Child’s Vision
Exercise
Exercises are one of the best ways to improve your child’s eye health:
- Ask your kid to make eye movements up & down by looking towards the ceiling and then look down at least 5-10 times. Don’t let the head move during this exercise.
- Another exercise you do for kids’ eyes is by asking them to move the eye in different ways, such as diagonally, zigzag, horizontally & vertically, by making the figure 8. Perform the exercise 15-20 times by ensuring that the head doesn’t move.
- Ask the child to start blinking the eyes frequently, which can avoid many different eye problems. It also keeps eyes moist.
- The fourth exercise is rolling the eyes. Let your child roll the eyes clockwise & anticlockwise slowly.
- An eye-shift exercise regularly helps improve eyesight. Let your child focus on a distant object by changing the focus to nearby objects. Perform this exercise at least ten times. Ask your child to raise the thumb in front by straightening the hand and shifting the focus from a distant object to the thumb.
- Massage the eyelids of your kids with fingertips slowly with light pressure.
Food & Supplements
A healthy diet is essential to keep the eye healthy. Here are some of the best food items that must be included in your child’s diet.
- Green Leafy Vegetables – The anti-oxidative properties of carotenoids help keep radicals away from the eyes, which are abundant in green veggies. They also contain Vitamin (A, C & B12) and calcium. However, you shouldn’t be stuck to only green vegetables but also other colorful vegetables such as tomato, radish, carrots, sweet potato, capsicum, and others.
- Nuts & Seeds – Cashews, almonds, walnuts, peanuts, and pistachios are rich in Vitamin E that can reduce the effect of myopia naturally. Moreover, these nuts are a great source of omega-3 fatty acid that helps prevent dry eyes. According to research, seeds help improve eyesight for those kids using children’s glasses frames for better eyesight.
- Whole Grains – Zinc is best for the eyes and is found in a great source of whole wheat and brown rice. Whole grain is good for eye vision, packed with nutrients like Niacin and Vitamin E.
- Eggs – Rich in Vitamin A & proteins, eggs are loaded with lutein, an antioxidant that fights macular degeneration and prevents blindness. Plus, they maintain ocular structural integrity, ensuring the eyes’ proper functioning.
- Fruits – Vitamin C is the best source of healthy eyes, which can be obtained from citrus fruits such as lemons, tomato, guava, oranges, etc. Yellow & orange fruits such as mangoes, apricots, and papaya are rich in Vitamin A, helps prevent night blindness, and should be given to kids regularly. Moreover, blueberries and grapes are rich in anthocyanins that improve night vision and help the eyes adapt to the dark quickly.
- Avocados – Lutein is a carotenoid vitamin that helps prevent eye diseases like cataracts while improving vision in children.
- Vitamin Supplements – If your child is a picky eater, then there is a chance of not getting enough & required nutrition through food which can create a deficiency of vitamins & nutrients. You must consider vitamin supplements like multivitamin syrup and food supplements like juice or shakes that help meet nutrition requirements.
Other Things to Do
Being a good parent, you can do some things to protect your child’s eyes.
- Limit Screen Use – It can be challenging initially, but you need to limit the screen time. According to research by the Canadian Association of Optometrists, kids up to age two shouldn’t use the mobile screen. Also, kids aged 2-5 shouldn’t use the screen for more than 30-40 minutes daily. Children aged between 5-18 years must not use the screen for more than 2 hours.
- Take Breaks – Limiting the screen time means your child has enough time to take frequent breaks. At least half-hour gives the eyes a great break, which often lets the eyes get fresh and reduces eye muscle tension.
- Involve Outdoor Activities – The kids need to be involved in physical activities. Football, basketball, badminton, and other children’s games involve physical movement that leads to brain oxygen. Moreover, natural light is very beneficial to eyesight.
- Computer Glasses – One of the best ways you can prevent your kids’ eyesight is by using children’s glasses frames coated with anti-glare technology, which reflects the rays not inside the eyes. For that, you can use Lenskart, which deals in the best eye frames for children, men & women.
The Bottom Line
The eye is one of the body’s most essential organs, and it is the parent’s responsibility to keep their children’s eyesight healthy. By following the tips & tricks that we have discussed above, you can help your children to strengthen their eyesight.
Moreover, you can use the best childrens glasses to ensure the maximum safety of your eyes.