1. Watch for Warning Signs
- Your child’s eyes should be bright and glossy
- He should follow objects of interest
- Her eyes should move together
2. PROTECT Your Child’s Eyes
From the sun (sunglasses)
From injury and Trauma: Most eye accidents are preventable!
Monitor and control your child’s environment; watch for:
- Falls
- Misuse of or age-inappropriate toys
- Misuse of everyday objects such as pencils and forks
- Misuse of common household chemicals such as cleansers, pesticides or glues
Keep chemicals away from children
- Store in secured cabinets
- If exposed, WASH EYES IMMEDIATELY AND THOROUGHLY with lots of water or a bland liquid like milk, if water is not available. Then, take your child immediately to an eye care expert!
- Teach your children to protect their eyes:
Provide them with
Glasses with polycarbonate lenses
Helmets & goggles for sports- especially those involving missiles, sticks and small or hard balls
Set a good example!
3. Examine on a Regular Basis
- Make sure that your baby’s health care provider evaluates the health of his or her eyes SHORTLY AFTER BIRTH and before one year-of-age.
- Have your child’s vision checked BETWEEN THE AGES OF THREE AND FOUR years by an eye care provider.
- Have your child’s eyes examined PERIODICALLY AFTER THAT and if you see any of the warning signs listed on the reverse panels.
Watch for THESE 4 THINGS
If you see ANY of them, make an appointment with your child’s eye doctor!
Appearance
- Eye(s) LARGER or more prominent than expected
- DIFFERENT SIZES. One eye appears smaller or larger than the other
- Front part of the eye appears CLOUDY
- A WHITE PUPIL (may only be visible in photographs)
Alignment
- Eye is TURNED out or in, up or down
- Eyes look CROSSED
- WANDERING eyes or abnormal eye movements
- SQUINTING or blinking
- Unusual HEAD POSITION, or head movements
Infections or allergies
Signs of allergy
- ITCHING, ITCHING, ITCHING!
- Watch for scratching/rubbing of the eyes
- Dark discoloration under the eyes
- Worse symptoms when exposed to cat, dog, pollen, dust
Signs of infection
- REDNESS of eyes
- SWELLING of eyes/eyelids
- DISCHARGE, watery or mucous; lids may stick together in the morning
Vision
- Your young child does not follow your face or toys with his eyes
- Your child says that things are blurry or that she can’t see well
- Your child sits very close to the TV, has trouble reading, or doing tasks at close range
- Your child complains about being dizzy or has a headache after reading
- Your child has problems seeing at night
