Summer offers plenty of outdoor activities and kids enjoy the sun every day. That makes it even more important to not only protect their skin with sunblock, but to protect their delicate and sensitive eyes too!
The good news is that a new analysis of recent eye health studies found that spending time outdoors is related to lower risk of nearsightedness in children and adolescents. For each additional hour spent outdoors per week, the risk of nearsightedness dropped by about 2% in this study cited on the American Academy of Ophthalmology. They aren’t sure why this is true, but more studies are being done.
In the meantime, outdoor play offers plenty of benefits for kids in addition to the health of their eyes. The most important thing is to ensure they are protected when playing outside, and especially when it comes to sun protection for eyes.
Dr. Ethnie Jones of the Virginia Eye Institute (VEI) knows how important this is, and she sat down with us to give us some valuable tips on eye protection this summer.
“Protecting the eyes is so important and parents often overlook this when it comes to their kids. Most parents wear sunglasses themselves, but they forget that even young children need protection from the sun’s harmful rays. But eye protection is about more than the obvious,” Dr. Jones explains.
Not only are sunglasses a way to protect eyes, but we learned that there are other less obvious precautions that make a big difference in eye health. Dr. Jones provides these important tips:
- Wear protective glasses. Children and adults should wear safety glasses during outdoor sports and other activities. Consider these facts when deciding whether or not protective glasses are necessary. If yes to any of these questions below, consider protective goggles. The best protective eyewear is determined by ASTM. For example, ASTM F910 is recommended for face guards for youth baseball.
- Are hazardous chemicals or other substances being used?
- Is there flying debris or small particles in the air that could cause eye irritation?
- Will there be projectiles or flying objects that could cause injury (football, soccer balls, and other sports props)?
- Everyone should wear sunglasses. Even young children need to wear them and you can make it fun by purchasing colorful shades in different shapes and sizes. Just 29% of adults say they insist their children wear sunglasses – that leaves a lot of children’s eyes at risk and unprotected!
- Wear sunscreen. Parents are typically great about applying sunscreen when kids are exposed to sun at the pool. But sunscreen is needed every day whether kids are around water or not. Too much sun around the sensitive eye skin can cause wrinkles and even skin cancer so apply it every day. Kids rub their eyes a lot when swimming or playing outdoors which removes this protective barrier. Reapply sunscreen every 30 minutes and make sure to cover the sensitive skin around the eyes each time.
- Don’t swim in contact lenses. Swimming in contacts can cause infections and eye irritation. If you must swim in contacts, be sure to clean them thoroughly with a cleaning solution after swimming.
- Wear water goggles. Kids love the water and they spend a lot of time immersed in it. Insist that they wear goggles to help protect their eyes when under water.
- Drink plenty of water. You know the importance of water for body hydration, but it’s also essential for hydrating the eyes too. Sun, chlorine, wind, and other elements can dry out eyes quickly. Drink plenty of water to keep eyes lubricated to avoid dry eyes and discomfort.
- Enjoy the fireworks from a distance. Fireworks are fun, but they can be dangerous too. Keep children at a safe distance and never let them be the ones to set off fireworks. Each year, thousands of Americans are injured using fireworks and 1,300 people injure their eyes, with more than half of them being children and teens.
These important tips will help you keep your kids’ eyes healthier all year long. It’s also important to schedule an eye exam annually to ensure healthy vision for your child. An eye exam may reveal that your child is having difficulty seeing, which can cause problems in school and at home if not properly managed.
Don’t take chances with eyes! They are the windows to the world and it’s important to keep them healthy and strong with a few precautions. Then, enjoy the summer.
Ethnie Jones, M.D. specializes in general ophthalmology and cataract surgery at the Virginia Eye Institute. She received her Doctorate of Medicine from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and is Board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology.
Virginia Eye Institute is an advertiser on Richmondmom.com
