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As our kids head back to the classroom, it’s time to get everything they need to be successful during the school year. In addition to new backpacks, clothes, and school supplies, it’s also a good time to make an appointment at Horizon Family Medical Group for an eye exam.

Eye exams help ensure your child is ready to see and read properly. And eye exams can help ensure your child’s eyes are healthy. According to YourSightMatters.org, [1] eye exams can help identify potential issues, such as:

  • Amblyopia (lazy eye)
  • Strabismus (crossed eyes)
  • Ptosis (drooping of the eyelid)
  • Color deficiency (color blindness)

How does the eye work?

Knowing how the eye works can help you understand potential problems with vision or eye health. The National Eye Institute, NIH [2] put together this great video that explains how your eyes work:

A few eye safety tips

In addition to healthy eyes, we also want to ensure your child’s eyes are safe. Unfortunately, each year, 12 million kids experience some kind of vision impairment. [1] To help encourage your kids to remember eye safety, try the following:

  • Remind them to wear protective eye wear when playing certain sports, especially if that eye wear is also prescription.
  • Ensure your kids play with toys appropriate for their ages, to prevent a child from playing with something sharp or pointed that could damage his or her eyes.
  • Talk about the activities in which your child participates and how they can best protect their eyes. For example, some chemistry or shop classes might require eye protection.

To help your child learn more and understand the importance of eye safety, print out the page below: [3]

eye calendar

Resources

  1. http://yoursightmatters.com/august-childrens-eye-health-safety-month/
  2. https://nei.nih.gov/kids
  3. https://nei.nih.gov/sites/default/files/nei-pdfs/HVM_Calendar_tagged.pdf