Babies are born with an incomplete visual system, so their eyes are more fragile than those of adults. Many aspects of the eye develop during infancy and some continue changing throughout childhood, explains Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. For this reason, it’s common for children to experience one or more of the following vision problems.
Seasonal Eye Allergies
Children who suffer from other allergies or asthma are particularly susceptible to seasonal eye allergies in either one or both eyes. Symptoms include redness, swelling, tearing and itchiness, all of which are treatable with antihistamines, eye drops and warm compresses.
Pink Eye
Medically known as conjunctivitis, pink eye is the most common eye infection in children and is caused by a bacterial or viral infection. This condition affects the conjunctiva, a transparent membrane, leading to reddening in the white of the eye, tearing, discharge and irritation, explains Parenthood. It’s important to wash your hands after touching an infected eye to avoid spreading the infection to others.
Styes
Also called hordeolum, a stye is a lump on the inside or outside of the eyelid caused by an eyelash follicle or clogged eyelid oil gland. You can treat this condition with a warm compress four times a day for 10 minutes. If the stye persists or returns, seek medical advice as your child may need antibiotics for blepharitis.
Strabismus
Strabismus, or crossed eyes, occurs in 3 to 5 percent of children, according to WebMD. If you notice any misalignment in your child’s eyes, schedule an examination with your eye doctor as early as possible for treatment, which will help the eyes develop together for better depth perception and vision.
Eye Injuries
Eye injuries from sports affect 14,000 children every year. The best way to avoid damage is through prevention, such as protecting eyes with proper eyewear.
It’s equally important for your kids’ health to protect their eyes from the sun when spending time outdoors. Real Kids has the sunglasses you need to protect your kids’ eyes from damaging UV rays. Visit our website to make a purchase, and don’t forget that you still have time to take advantage of our special Facebook promotion, which ends on June 30.