Hidden dangers to a child’s vision

It’s a well-known fact that sports can present a hazard for children’s vision, but did you know that one in particular is responsible for the most injuries? According to the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, baseball is the No. 1 cause of sports-related injuries in children ages 5 to 14. The unpredictable nature of sports makes it easy for accidents to occur, which is why experts recommend that kids always use protective eyewear. But the playing field is not the only place parents should be alert for dangerous objects. Some vision hazards – including scissors, forks and pencils – are found right at home.

The foundation suggests that parents look out for such common items as paper clips, rubber bands, fish hooks, clothes hangers, and other items with sharp or pointed edges. In particular, children should be closely supervised when in the presence of darts, BB guns, and other missile-firing toys. All of these objects have the potential to permanently damage a child’s vision should circumstances go awry. Finally, the foundation recommends keeping children away from all types of sprays and cleaners, as the chemicals can be highly dangerous. Vigilance is a parent’s best tool, so keep your eyes out for any potential dangers – obvious or hidden.

An eye doctor on your True Dental Discounts, vision plan can help you pinpoint specific hazards in your personal life and advise you on the best ways to keep your child safe and healthy.

Look for these three traits when choosing your child’s eye glasses

Children are notoriously active: If they’re not busy climbing a tree or jumping on a trampoline, chances are they’re swimming or playing soccer. For this reason, it’s especially important to find glasses for your child that won’t break or scratch easily. By keeping your child’s glasses intact, you save money and time, and they can continue seeing clearly. So, next time you schedule an appointment with an eye doctor on your True Dental Discounts, vision plan work with him to find glasses with these three traits:

• Spring hinges – If your child is like most children with glasses, he probably pulls his glasses off without a lot of thought. Unfortunately, quick, jerked movements can often compromise the structure of normal glasses. That’s why glasses with spring hinges are a great buy; the springs boost the flexibility of the frames, making the glasses snap-resistant.

• Polycarbonate lenses – These durable lenses are made from material that was created to withstand extreme wear and tear. In fact, polycarbonate can be found in bulletproof windows and astronaut visors! It goes without saying that lenses made with polycarbonate are great for children, particularly those who are involved in sports or other physical activities. In addition, polycarbonate lenses are lighter and thinner than most glasses, which means your child won’t have to keep pushing them back into place on their nose.

• Scratch-resistant coating – Even though polycarbonate lenses come with a basic coating to prevent scratches, it’s a good idea to find a specialized coating to apply on top of the existing one.  It’s important to note that no lenses or coatings can completely prevent scratches, but applying an extra coat is a great way to stretch the time in between repairs. Many of these coatings also come with warranties just in case the lenses do scratch.

Vision exams for young children

It’s easy to know if your child’s knee is scraped or his elbow is bumped, but when it comes to vision, it’s not so easy to know if your child is healthy. In fact, it’s possible for a young child to have a critical vision problem without his parents even being aware of anything abnormal.

For this reason, the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends children have their eyes tested starting around age 3. It is particularly important to get your children’s vision screened if you have a family history of vision problems or you notice anything out of the ordinary about your child’s eyes. For instance, children whose eyes tend to be crossed, have signs of a lazy eye, or whose upper eyelid droops all need to be tested for vision problems.

It’s best to catch these problems early so an eye doctor can begin to correct the child’s vision as soon as possible before school starts. For information about the frequency that your own child needs to be screened, talk to your True Care Advantage eye doctor to establish a regular schedule.