Tips and Tricks

Children of all ages participate in sports of different types. Some of these sports present a high risk of serious eye injuries and, in some cases, blindness. In order to reduce the chances of sports-related injuries, we recommend that children involved in various activities should use appropriate eye wear in the sports they participate in.Important Facts State-based programs and youth & school athletic league programs should ensure that coaches, parents, and children are educated about the importance of wearing the right type of sports eye safety wear. Some of the things we recommend include: The type of eye safety wear for sports should be purchased only after consultation with an athletic trainer, a physician or eye doctor. It needs to suit the child’s size and should be appropriate for the sport he or she is playing. Adolescents and children should wear eye protection gear that meets American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as well as the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards. The legislators of the state should adopt a legislation that requires the use of safety eyewear for children of all ages when they are participating in high/medium-risk sports through their school, youth league or even collegiate athletic programs. Sports safety wear that doesn’t conform to the standards set by ANSI and ASTM should be banned by the collegiate, community, and school sports programs. It is important that the right type of sports eyewear be made available via funding that is similar to any other equipment such as pads, uniforms, helmets etc. to children that a participating in any sports.Common Sport-Related Eye Injuries Athletes can suffer acute eye injuries when they fail to wear the right type of eye protection or when they use face shields. This can occur particularly when they wear glasses or goggles that don’t fit properly or which aren’t appropriate for that specific sport. Athletes that don’t wear the right type of protection can suffer from common injuries such as:

Swollen Or Detached Retinas Hyphema Orbital Fractures Traumatic Cataract

Standard plastic or glass lenses, digital sunglasses or even open eye guards without lenses are all designed for regular or daily use. These do not provide the child’s eyes adequate protection during sports. Lenses that are made from non-polycarbonate materials are prone to shattering upon impact. Not only this increase the severity of the eye injury, but also has the potential to cause permanent blindness in the child.Certified and Good Quality Eye Safety Wear As you can see, sports eye safety isn’t something you can take for granted. It is important that you invest in good quality, certified sports safety eye wear that will provide your child’s eyes the right kind of protection. If you want more information on the type of safety eye wear you should choose for your children,feel free to contact Vizavance or give us a call at 405-848-7123. You can book an appointment for free eye exams in Oklahoma at the earliest convenience.

All parents want to keep their children safe from harm. Every parent also wants to ensure that their child is happy, and playing with toys usually promotes happiness. However, some toys can also pose a danger to your children, and it isn’t uncommon for accidents to occur when they’re playing with their favorite toys. One of the commonest injuries to occur is to the eyes. Research shows children incur about 11,000 toy-related eye injuries annually. These can be minor ones like mild corneal abrasions (scratches to the eye’s surface) or even very severe ones like a corneal ulcer, retinal tear or detachment or traumatic cataract.Some Toys that can be Dangerous While toys are specifically designed to be played with, sometimes, even the most innocent looking ones can cause a significant amount of injury to children’s eyes. Here, we discuss a number of toys that can pose a risk of eye-related injuries. While these toys don’t have to be eliminated completely, there are a few tips to follow to make them safer for kids to play with.1. Toy Weapons Toys such as guns or similar items, that propel or shoot small objects have the potential to cause a significant amount of damage to your child’s eyes. While many parents feel that it isn’t dangerous for their children to use guns that shoot pellets or BBs, these can be extremely dangerous toys. Ones that have darts or missiles are also very dangerous. Most children tend to hold these toys very close to their faces while they are pulling the trigger. If your child insists on playing with these toys, it is important that you have them use safety goggles at all times. Similarly, bows, swords, sabers,and wands are other items you need to be wary of as they too can potentially cause eye injuries.2. Sports Equipment Each year, many children sustain eye injuries while playing sports such as baseball, basketball, and racquetball. Blunt, penetrating, or even radiation, sport-related injuries can cause permanent harm to your child’s eyes. It’s important to ensure that your child is wearing appropriate eye safety wear even when they are playing with toy sports equipment.3. Laser Pointers Although laser pointers are definitely fun to play with, the beam can cause a significant amount of retinal damage if aimed at the eye even for a very short span of time. If your child’s toys include laser lights, it’s important that they are supervised closely while using them.4. Fireworks It’s never a good idea to allow children to play with explosive devices. Children tend to underestimate how dangerous fireworks can be. Even a very small explosion close to the eye can prove to be devastating and can cause burns and injuries. If your child is going to set off fireworks, it’s important that you insist they use safety goggles or protective eyewear. As a parent, it’s also your responsibility to educate your child about how to maintain safety while playing with toys. If you want more information, feel free to contact Vizavance or give us a call at 405-848-7123. You can book an appointment for free eye exams in Oklahoma at the earliest convenience.

We, humans, tend to experience much of the world in a very visual way. The colors, sights, and light that we see around us, are the visual cues that help us improve our understanding of the world. You would want your children to enjoy the vibrant world that we live in, wouldn’t you? As parents, you need to help your children maintain their eyesight’s functionality and health. Here are some tips from our experts that can help keep your kids eyes healthy:1. Maintain An Eye-Friendly Diet This is undoubtedly one of the best ways to start. Since children’s eyes are still developing, they require the proper nourishment to keep their eyesight functional and sharp. Parents can do this by ensuring that their children eat certain kinds of food on a regular basis. Ensure that your children eat foods that contain nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, and C, as well zinc. Include foods such as nuts, beans, eggs, fish, kale, spinach and other green, leafy vegetables in their diet. Maintaining a healthy diet helps protect the eyes from any kind of premature damage. The protein is extremely helpful in developing tissues, and vitamins help ward off infections and repair broken tissues.2. Sufficient Sleep And Rest Are Important A good night’s sleep refreshes the body as well as the eyes. It helps keep your child’s vision crisp and clear and maintains eye health.3. Play In The Open Air It’s important that your children be allowed to play in outdoor spaces. The fresh air and sunlight can be very beneficial to their eyes. There are a number of studies which indicate that spending time in the outdoor spaces can help your kids avoid eye problems such as myopia.4. Keep Eyes Protected From The Sun When your children are spending time in outdoor areas ensure that their eyes are adequately protected from the sun. Excessive exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays can result in eye deterioration and damage. If you are planning to spend a day at the beach or any other open sunny area for extended periods of time make your kids wear sunglasses, especially ones that provide 99% to 100% UV protection. In addition to all these points mentioned above, ensure that your kids’ eyes are clean at all times. A good way to keep kids eyes clean is to ensure they wash their hands regularly. Kids tend to touch areas around the eyes and this habit can result in germs entering and causing havoc with their eye health. Limit the amount of time your children spend staring at computer screens, smartphones, and tablet devices.Kids Free Eye Exams Oklahoma Very importantly, ensure that you take your kids for free eye exams Oklahoma, at least once each year. Your children’s eyes play a very important role in the manner they develop and it’s vital that you help ensure their health and safety. If you want more information about kids’ eye health, contact Vizavance or give us a call. You can book an appointment for free eye exams in Oklahoma at the earliest convenience.

There are many foods that are good for our health in many ways, and the same goes for foods that can help improve eyesight for children. If you want to start implementing foods into your child’s diet that can help improve their eyesight, check out some of the best foods for doing so below.

Fruit

Fruits are packed full of nutrients that are healthy for many reasons. However, there are some fruits that are especially helpful for improving eyesight. Strawberries and other red berries are loaded with Vitamin C, which is good for protecting eyes from the possibility of eye diseases like cataracts by keeping your eyes healthy. Strawberries also have lots of Vitamin B and fiber for improved eye health as well. Oranges are another good fruit for eyesight due to their high volume of Vitamin C. Vitamin C is a natural antioxidant that helps keep blood vessels and connective tissues in your eyes functioning as they should. Oranges also have potassium, fiber, folate, and calcium which are also great nutrients for eye health.

Veggies

Although it can be difficult to get your kids to eat their vegetables if you can find a way to sneak them into their diet, veggies do wonders for keeping eyesight healthy. Spinach is one vegetable that contains many nutrients for keeping your eyes healthy. Spinach has been known to do wonders for eye health due to Vitamin A, iron, Vitamin K, and folate. Spinach has been known to decrease the risk of macular degeneration due to these ingredients. Sneak in some spinach by adding it to a fruit smoothie!

Sweet potatoes are another great vegetable for eye health and one that might be easier to swallow for children due to its’ taste. Sweet potatoes contain the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which have been known to decrease the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration. Sweet potatoes are also packed with Vitamin A, potassium, fiber, and carotene, so they are similar to carrots but taste much better!

Other Foods

Nuts and eggs can also improve eyesight for children. Nuts such as walnuts are full of Vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids, all linked to eye health and the decreased risk of age-related eye diseases. Walnuts can be easily mixed with raisins and chocolate for a yummy, and eye health, trail mix! Eggs are good for eye health due to their high source of zinc and Vitamin E. Another food to add to the list of eye-healthy foods is seafood. Tuna, Salmon, and other fish are full of DHA, which can improve the health and function of your retina.