It is often thought that good eye health is guaranteed for most children and that prevention and care measures are for adults, however, ophthalmologists and pediatricians warn about the importance of protecting the eyes of children from an early age , who are exposed to the same risks.
Children's newly opened eyes are also vulnerable to contamination, the effects of artificial lighting, or frequent contact with the screens of phones, tablets, and other devices. For this reason, experts recommend that children's visual health be protected from the earliest years by applying some very simple measures, which are not only aimed at taking care of their vision, but also at detecting the appearance of diseases.
The maturation process of the eyes in children is fulfilled when they reach the first year. From the age of 12 months, children have the same visual capacity as adults. At birth, they only identify large shapes and faces, as well as some bright colors. At three months they can follow an object with their eyes or track it in their visual field. By the fourth month, a baby focuses more accurately on her objects: she sees her bottle, her pacifier, and the things that interest her most. At this time they already reach what is called binocular vision, which involves both eyes in the process of depth perception.
It is important that at each pediatric control visit that the baby has, there is a review of the evolution of her eyes. Before three months it is normal to perceive a slight deviation in the baby's eyes, however, if after the fourth month the eye shows periodic inward or outward movement, the pediatrician should be informed so that he or she can refer it to a specialist.
10 Recommendations for children's visual health
- Keep a safe distance between the eyes and the object. For reading or screens, between 30 and 40 centimeters are suggested. Getting too close to a screen can affect the oculomotor and/or binocular system.
- When you are in front of a device for long periods of time, you should apply the 30 by 30 by 30 rule, which consists of: take your eyes away from the screen every 30 minutes, close them for 30 seconds and look into the distance for another 30, before to resume work.
- When children are doing homework, make sure there is adequate natural light on their study material and use another for reinforcement. The booster lamp should be located so that it does not cast shadows on your work or shine directly into your eyes.
- The pencil or pen must be taken two centimeters above the tip to favor the correct focus of the eyes on the sheet.
- When doing any type of work at a desk or watching television, one must be aware of side vision, that is, of our entire visual field, therefore, it is not recommended to watch television with the light off.
- Television should be viewed at a distance of seven times the size of the screen, on average, it should be between 4 and 6 meters.
- When children carry out prolonged activities outdoors or under the sun, they should wear glasses with adequate protection against ultraviolet rays. If the activities involve going against the wind (bicycle, skates, boats), you should also protect your eyes to avoid dry eyes. (See note on Dry Eye Syndrome).
- Excess visual exposure to digital devices when the eye apparatus is still in the maturing phase (eight years) can anticipate the onset of myopia or enhance it. Therefore, it is recommended to review and adjust the brightness of the screens so that the emitted reflections are not received too strongly. (tuoptomestrista.com).
- Indoor air quality must be controlled. Heating and air conditioning can affect air quality and cause eye damage.
- Schedule an appointment every year to monitor the visual health of children. Request your appointment with the specialists at the Sandiego Ophthalmology Clinic.
From the first years, at home, we acquire the habits that will accompany us throughout our lives. At the Sandiego Ophthalmology Clinic we are concerned about your well-being and especially that of children, which is why we invite you to follow these recommendations incorporating simple habits into your family to avoid future eye diseases.
At Clínica Oftalmológica Sandiego, our specialists in pediatric ophthalmology in Medellín, we offer the necessary support to resolve any doubt regarding children's visual health.
