5 habits to help protect children's eyesight

5 habits that can help children's eyes be bright and healthy

Parents should let children do outdoor activities, keep a distance when reading, take breaks between close-up activities, and have regular eye exams to protect eyesight.

Many factors in daily activities from play and study time to electronic device use can impact children's vision in many different ways. Some daily habits can help reduce eye pressure and support children in maintaining healthy vision as they grow older.

Let children do outdoor activities every day

Parents encourage children to spend 1-2 hours a day on outdoor activities. When outdoors, children's eyes can see far away instead of constantly adjusting at a close distance like when looking at a phone, computer or reading books indoors. Activities such as walking, cycling, playing soccer, playing badminton or simply playing outdoors can also help.

Rest your eyes after each period of close viewing

When studying, reading or using devices, children should take breaks, instead of looking closely for long periods of time. According to the recommendations of the European Ophthalmological Association, after about 30-45 minutes of close vision, children should rest their eyes. During this time, children can look away from the book or screen, look away, and switch to another activity. Short breaks help the eyes relax, limiting the feeling of eye strain after having to focus on close vision for a long time.

Keep an appropriate distance when reading and using the device

Children should avoid reading, writing or using phones or computers at too close a distance. According to experts, children should keep a suitable distance (at least 30 cm) and avoid bringing books, notebooks or screens too close to their eyes when performing close-up activities. Looking at too close a distance can cause eye strain and fatigue. In addition to maintaining an appropriate distance, parents remind children to sit up straight instead of bending their faces close when studying or entertaining.

Ensure lighting when studying and reading

Children should study and read books in well-lit places, avoiding focusing their eyes on books or screens in spaces that are too dark. In addition to increasing time spent outdoors, myopia guidelines also encourage optimizing lighting in living and learning environments.

However, it should not be understood that reading in the dark will directly cause nearsightedness. What is more important is to create a comfortable viewing environment, avoiding children having to lean close or strain their eyes when reading.

Eye examination when there are abnormal signs

Regular eye exams help detect vision problems early, especially in children whose parents are nearsighted or at high risk. Early detection is also important because the younger the age of myopia onset, the higher the risk of progression later.

Signs to watch out for include children frequently squinting when looking far away, sitting close to the TV, holding books or phones close to their face, having difficulty seeing words on the board, and often complaining of eye strain or headaches. When these signs appear, the child should be examined by an eye specialist to check vision.

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