Preparing parents and children for the return to school usually focuses on purchasing supplies and uniforms, and organizing school and extracurricular schedules. However, a key point of this stage should be visual health, since clear vision is essential for academic success and for the general well-being of children and adolescents.
But, do you know how to take care of children’s eyesight for this return to school? Next, and regarding the beginning of a new school year in the Costa region, Dr. Alejandro Lalama, Head of Optometry at Óptica Los Andes (OLA), provides 4 suggestions to consider.
1. Schedule an optometric assessment
This is one of the main recommendations to protect visual health, not only for returning to school, but at any time of the year. “A complete optometric check-up, like the ones we offer free of charge at all OLA locations nationwide, will not only help identify visual difficulties or pathologies, but will also allow the specialist to establish the appropriate treatment, according to the patient’s diagnosis,” explains Dr. Lalama. He adds that addressing any visual problem in a timely manner can be decisive in students’ learning experience.
2. Choose the right devices and limit their usage time
The choice of school supplies, including the electronic devices they will use, must go beyond aesthetics. “Particularly with devices such as tablets or laptops, which students will use daily for their homework, it is ideal to opt for those that have anti-glare screens, because these will help reduce glare and improve visual clarity,” comments the expert from Óptica Los Andes. Additionally, although technology will be present throughout the school year, its excessive use can lead to consequences such as visual fatigue and other problems. Therefore, parents and teachers should ensure that students maintain a safe distance between their eyes and screens, and remind them of the importance of having adequate lighting and blinking regularly to avoid dry eyes. Likewise, time limits must be established for its use, which should not exceed 2 hours.
3. Include healthy foods in your diets
A balanced diet, rich in essential nutrients, will be essential for eye health care. The suggestion is to incorporate foods rich in vitamin A, such as carrots, melon and mango. Also green vegetables such as broccoli, chard and spinach, which, due to their high antioxidant content, help protect the eyes from damage caused by light from screens and other environmental factors. Finally, it is recommended that meals include products that provide omega 3, such as fish, shellfish, nuts and seeds, as they are extremely beneficial for visual health.
4. Encourage open communication
A key aspect to detecting and treating visual defects in time is for children and adolescents to maintain open communication with their parents. “It is important to remind them that they should alert us to any ocular discomfort or difficulty seeing well, with absolute confidence,” says the representative of Óptica Los Andes. When they do, he adds, the recommendation is to go to a specialist to ensure that they are ready and protected to start and face their school year with clarity and comfort.