Vision plays an important role in the physical, cognitive, and social development of children. Therefore, eye examinations for children are very important to diagnose eye disorders early. Because, the more eye health problems that are not diagnosed earlier, then, the more your child's brain learns to accommodate visual problems that are experienced. So, it is very important for parents to maintain the child's eye health.
Here are some things you can do to maintain the health of your baby's eyes :
1. Check your child's eyes regularly
Check your child to the ophthalmologist at least once every two years. This is done to ensure that your child's eyes stay healthy, or to detect any problems in the child's eyes earlier, such as ambylopia, hyperopia, or myopia (minus eye). The faster the problem is detected, the more optimal the results of the treatment performed.
2. Give children nutrition for eye health
Familiarize your child to eat vegetables and fruits, such as carrots, tomatoes, strawberries, and others. This is to ensure your child gets the nutrition needed for the eyes, such as antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, and lutein. Foods such as salmon, shrimp, tuna and catfish are also good for maintaining your child's eye health.
3. Wear a hat or sunglasses when the child is playing outside
Protect your child's eyes from UV rays that can damage vision, especially if your child's eyes are brightly colored. You can protect your child's eyes by wearing sunglasses or hats while on a hot day.
4. Encourage children to play outside the home
This is done to prevent nearsightedness or myopia because your child is playing too often indoors. But you must remember to protect your child's eyes from UV light.
5. Stimulate the sense of sight
Along with the development of the child's eyes from around the age of 8, it is important for you to help stimulate visual development, including toys with various colors, facial expressions, puzzles, stacking blocks, and others.
6. Give a good example
Parents often forbid children from watching TV too closely, using gadgets too often. Parents also definitely always encourage children to eat vegetables or fruits, and use glasses to protect their eyes from UV rays. However, all these recommendations and prohibitions will be easier for children if as parents, you also give a real example to them. Children are a time when they have the best ability to imitate the behavior of those around them.