Has your child been complaining about struggling to see the board in school or have you noticed them squinting and straining to see things? If so your child may be experiencing a change in vision and needs to have an exam by an Optometrist. Some schools do perform eye screening but they are not an in depth exam and can easily miss certain ailments like astigmatisms, different vision in each eye, farsightedness and lazy eyes. An eye doctor will be able to detect these ailments and provide you with a prescription for glasses or contacts so that your child is able to see clearly.
How do you determine if glasses or contacts are the right choices for your child? First, you should ask your doctor which option will provide your child the most benefit. Next, you must determine how responsible your child is and whether or not they will properly clean and disinfect their contacts. Improper disinfection and care will cause eye infections in your child. If you feel contacts are the better choice for your child but fear they will not care for them properly, daily disposable contacts are a great choice. If your child is an athlete, contact lenses are a great choice.
Prevention is always better than correction. Sun protection is very important for a child’s eyes. Have your child wear sunglasses outdoors at all times. And not just stylish glasses, sunglasses with UV protection. Children are the most sensitive to UV rays with the eyes for the first 18 years. UV exposure can lead to conditions like cataracts that will not surface until old age.