It's almost back-to-school time and you're prepared with your child's enrollment forms, orientation schedules, and immunizations–but what about their eyes? August is Children's Eye Health and Safety Month—a great signal for you to get your child's eyes checked before school starts.
Join us as we observe Children's Eye Health and Safety Month in partnership with Prevent Blindness America and the American Academy of Ophthalmologists.
Most children have healthy eyes. But there are conditions that can threaten good vision. Because you can't always "look" into your child's eyes to tell if they have eye health problems, set up some time today for an eye exam:
Let's Talk Eye Safety:
Use this month to discuss the importance of eye safety with your children. More than 12 million children suffer from vision impairment, and eye injuries are one of the leading causes of vision loss in children [Nearly 25 percent of school-aged children have vision problems. Of children ages 3 to 5, close to one in 20 has a problem that could result in permanent vision loss if left untreated. The American Academy of Ophthalmology estimates that 80 percent of preschoolers do not receive vision screenings.] There are an estimated 42,000 sports-related eye injuries each year and the majority of them happen to children.
Children should:
One of the best ways to ensure your child keeps his/her good vision throughout life is to set a good health example.
To find more information about Children's Eye Health and Safety, visit: www.preventblindness.org or www.aao.org
[Article taken from www.hap.org]
