When was the last time you got your child’s eyes checked? Well, if it’s been too long, it is not an ideal situation. Research states that 1 in 5 children have undetected eye problems, so if you’ve not been regular at the optometrist/ophthalmologist clinic, you better start!  Your child’s first eye-check up should be at the age of 3 and after that once every two years. It’s often misconstrued that eye-check ups for your child can begin only when he/she starts reading but, some special test can be carried out at a young age. And as your child grows and can communicate more clearly, more detailed tests are possible. Specifically designed charts that include shapes & pictures are used for children.

Some tips to make your child’s visit to the eye-doctor easier:

1. Make sure your child is well-rested & has eaten well so that they don’t get cranky in the waiting room.
2. Make an appointment – an appointment will reduce waiting hours.
3. Bring along your child’s favourites book or toy. It will reduce restlessness while waiting.
4. Talk to your child about eyes and what happens at the eye clinic. This will reduce anxiety of any kind, especially when the doctor needs to put eye drops or needs to a detailed eye exam which will require your child’s cooperation.
5. Think about what you need to clarify with the doctor.

Some eye-care tips for your children:

A diet that consists of green leafy vegetables, kale, nuts,beans eggs and other forms of non-meat proteins, fruit juices & citrus fruits like oranges & lemons. Fish, of course, a great for the eyes, especially tuna, salmon & mackerel.

Being in a digitally obsessed world, it’s hard to get your kids unhooked! Especially when easy-to-use devices like tablets & smartphones have become the new toys. But do make sure screen time is regulated. These blue-light emitting screens, especially at night, are harmful to your child’s eyes. Encourage them to play outdoors, so that their dependency on gadgets will refuse.