MAACs Special Needs Consultancy

Limiting screen time each day, and ensuring that your child takes frequent breaks while using any type of digital device, will help to protect your child’s vision. Taking frequent breaks is also important when participating in any other kind of near-vision activity, such as reading, writing, or drawing.

Protecting your child’s eyes will decrease their risk of developing serious eye conditions that can threaten their vision.

(Optometrists Network, n d.)

Children need sunglasses because the lenses in their eyes allow more UV radiation to pass through than those of adults. Since UV radiation that enters the eye causes cell damage, this puts children at a higher risk for many complications.

Sunglasses with UV 400 protection block 100% of UV radiation from the sun’s rays and can substantially decrease the likelihood of these conditions appearing in people who wear them regularly from an early age. The following is a list of eye problems UV rays can cause.

Cataracts

Cataracts occur when the lens of the eye becomes clouded. People who develop cataracts in their eyes describe the effect as similar to looking through a window covered in frost. Removing cataracts typically requires surgery, so prevention is critical. Research indicates that substantial exposure to UV rays can increase the likelihood of cataracts developing later in life.

Pterygium

This type of benign tumour is also referred to as “surfer’s eye.” Pterygium may be caused when UV radiation causes cells in the eye to divide abnormally, resulting in a pinkish growth near the cornea. Pterygium often affects both eyes and can grow large enough to cover the entire pupil. If this occurs, vision can be significantly impaired.

Photokeratitis & Photoconjunctivitis

Think of these conditions like sunburns on the eye. In each case, UV rays from sunlight cause inflammation of tissues within the eye. Photokeratitis occurs when the cornea itself becomes inflamed, whereas photoconjunctivitis is an inflammation of the membrane that lines the eye socket and eyelids. This membrane is also known as the conjunctiva.

Skin Cancer Near the Eyes

Sunscreen is essential for protecting the skin during outdoor activities, but most people don’t apply it near the eyes because it can sting. Unfortunately, that also means that UV rays can affect the skin near the eyes, increasing skin cancer risk in those areas. As with most of the problems listed above, skin cancer usually develops after years of UV exposure — so the sooner you start protecting the skin around your child’s eyes, the less likely it is to affect them.

(Shady Grove Eye and Vision Care, 2021)

Our eyes are vascular meaning they are affected by your blood flow. So a healthy heart also means healthy vision. Therefore an unhealthy diet of highly processed foods that lack nutritional value may affect the heart and may not provide an individual with enough nutrients to support optimum eye and vision health.

Oils and Fats

High fat can take an adverse effect on your eyes so keep the use of oils and fats in your cooking to a minimum.

Meat, Beans, and Nuts

Many people think they’re child is getting the right amount of protein because they eat so much meat, but in reality you need to watch the type of meat your children eat. The healthiest options are eggs, fish, and poultry. Eggs are especially nutritious and contain lots of lutein which can help with macular degeneration.

Dairy

It contains vitamin A and Zinc which are found abundantly in the retina. This can also improve night vision and protect against cataracts.

Bread, Potatoes, and Other Starches

Recent studies have found that a high-glycemic diet can accelerate diabetes and, in turn, macular degeneration. However, they still make up one of the largest and most important food groups. If you are worried about your childs visual health consider switching to a low-glycemic diet. This includes oatmeal, whole wheat, sweet potatoes, and most fruits and vegetables.

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits provide a very important vitamin called vitamin C that is the foundation to your immune system. On the other hand leafy green vegetables are an excellent source of vitamin E and help prevent cataracts. If there is one piece of advice to take away it is to limit the amount of sweetened fruit juice your child drinks.

Accent Eye Care 2018

If anyone in your family has been diagnosed with a vision disorder, your child is at a higher risk of developing them as well. It is important to let the doctor know about it to ensure, early detection and effective management before the condition progresses.

As a child grows older, it is important to keep up with their eye exams. If a problem is detected, early treatment can help to stop the progression of any disorder, and ensure the most optimal results.

80 percent of all learning comes through the visual pathways. Any interference in the visual pathways can inhibit a child from performing to their maximum potential.

Children with disabilities have strengths which may be in doing artwork, in their personality, or in their motor skills. It’s more important for us to focus on what children can do, their abilities, rather than their disability. We can use children’s abilities to assist the areas that they have most challenges with.

Comparing two different people to one another will only lead to unhappiness, negativity, and a whole lot of stress and can bring the self-esteem of the child down. It's important to know that the qualities of children with disabilities are important. They are unique and gifted in their own ways and we should embrace, praise, and look at children with special needs in a special way.