Everyone at Real Kids Shades is committed to encouraging families to take care of their eyes and vision, and that’s why we like to share about events that place an emphasis on eye and vision health. October 10th is an important day to us because it’s World Sight Day. Organized by International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, World Sight Day is an observance that eyecare professionals from around the globe use to promote eyecare services for all in an attempt to prevent blindness and visual impairment. You can commemorate the occasion yourself by ensuring that your own kids’ eyes are healthy.
One in four children has a vision problem, according to Think About Your Eyes, which can cause problems in all aspects of life from learning to behavior. Many of these problems go undetected because nearly half of children in the U.S. alone do not receive proper, high quality eye exams on a regular basis. Many children need glasses and do not even know it.
Additionally, around 19 million children are visually impaired [World Health Organization (WHO)], and, of these, 12 million cases are due to refractive errors — conditions that could easily be diagnosed and rectified with proper eye health services. The most common refractive errors in children, according to Eye Smart, are as follows:
- Myopia (nearsightedness) – Close objects appear clear but distant objects are blurred.
- Hyperopia (farsightedness) – Words on a page look blurry and close-up tasks are difficult to execute.
- Astigmatism (distorted vision) – A combination of the above two where both near and far objects are blurred.
Children can also suffer from a number of other conditions that negatively affect their vision. Eye Smart names the most common:
- Amblyopia – One eye does not develop properly, usually during early childhood, leading to poor vision in a condition that is sometimes known as lazy eye. This affects 2 to 3 percent of the population.
- Ptosis – A drooping upper eyelid covers the eye to some extent, blocking vision.
- Cloudy eye – If the surface of the eye that is normally clear becomes cloudy, the child may have a cataract or some other eye disorder.
To avoid sight problems and ensure your children’s eye health is satisfactory, you should schedule comprehensive eye exams on a yearly basis. Annual eye exams can often detect a problem before it becomes a serious issue and help prevent unnecessary blindness.
At Real Kids Shades, we are serious about protecting children’s eyes and sight, which is why we offer 100 percent UV protection eyewear for infants, children, and pre-teens. Visit our website today to check out our range of kids’ sunglasses!