Tips to protect your
children’s eyes

Your children’s eyes go through a lot. Whether it’s the UV rays from all that time spent playing outdoors, or blue light from computers and TV screens, there are a few simple ways you can keep on top of their eye health. Read on to find out how.

Children’s eye health

Protection from the sun

A good way to prevent your children getting digital eye strain is to have them spend some time outdoors away from screens. However, it’s also important to make sure you protect their eyes from UV rays.

UV rays from the sun can be harmful to your children’s eyes. By the time children turn 18, they will have absorbed 50% of all the UV light they will ever absorb in their lifetime. Children’s sunglasses are the simplest and most effective way to prevent sun damage to your children’s eyes. Prices start from just £10. If you come into store, we can even help you find the perfect fit and pair for your child.

Children’s eyes are more vulnerable to damage from UV rays as they spend more time outdoors than adults do. Children’s eyes are also still developing, so they have a clearer lens which allows more UV light to reach the retina.

Overexposure to UV rays can damage your children’s eyes, causing similar effects to sunburn. It can also cause issues in later life, like cataracts, a decrease in vision and macular degeneration. Even if it isn’t sunny, UV rays can also damage your children’s eyes in the snow and in overcast weather.

Sleep

Sleep is essential for helping your children’s body to recover, replenish and grow. Younger children need more sleep than adults do. They should be getting around 10-11 hours of sleep every night.

If your child doesn’t get enough sleep, this can leave them feeling grouchy and affect their immune systems, so they get ill more often. As well as helping your children’s bodies to recover and rest, sleep also benefits your children’s eyes and encourages growth. It also prevents their eyes from getting sore, red and bloodshot.

Diet and exercise

A healthy balanced diet and regular exercise are great for general health, as well as for eye health. This is also true with your children.

Fruits and vegetables contain nutrients and vitamins which are beneficial to your children’s eyes. Particularly, kale, spinach, avocado, kiwi and grapes contain lutein, which helps to protect your children’s eyes.

Egg yolks and fatty fish like salmon, tuna and herring also help your children’s eyes to develop. You should also make sure your child stays hydrated, especially if they’re spending time playing outdoors. This can prevent your children from getting dry eyes.

As well as nutrition and water, plenty of oxygen intake can benefit your children’s eyes, as it increases oxygen to their optic nerve. Luckily, encouraging children to pay and exercise is often simple enough.

Has it been a while since
their last eye test?

It's best to have your children's eyes tested every 2 years.
If they are due, book an eye test online now.

Book an eye test

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Tips to protect your children’s eyes

Sleep

Has it been a while since their last eye test?

Book an eye test

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Tips to protect your
children’s eyes

Has it been a while since
their last eye test?