Prevent Blindness has once again declared August as Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month. The goal is to educate parents, caregivers, professionals and policy makers on the important role vision and eye health plays in a child’s development, learning ability, and social engagement.
Without early detection and treatment, uncorrected vision disorders can impair healthy development, interfere with learning, and even lead to permanent vision loss. However, vision screening and regular eye care can help detect and treat potentially irreversible vision impairment.
**Visual functioning is a strong predictor of academic performance in school-age children.**
More information can be found here: A Lifetime of Healthy Vision for Georgians - Prevent Blindness Georgia
In doing our part TMSA partners with Fulton County Schools to conduct annual eye screenings for certain grade levels at no cost to families. More information on our school wide eye exam will be shared later in the school year.
In honor of Children's Eye Health and Safety Month I have included some eye myths below for your enjoyment.
***Myth: Reading in dim light can damage your eyes.💡
FACT: Reading in dim light can cause eye strain, but it will not hurt your eyes permanently.
***Myth: Eating carrots will improve your vision.🥕
FACT: While it is true that carrots, as well as many other vegetables are rich in vitamin A, which is an essential vitamin for sight, only a small amount is necessary for good vision. A well-balanced diet, with or without carrots, provides all the nutrients the body needs. In fact, too much vitamin A, D or E may actually be harmful.
**Myth: Watching television for too long or sitting too close can damage your eyes.📺
FACT: There is no evidence to suggest that watching television for too long or sitting too close can damage your eyes. Young children often sit close to the television screen because they have a greater ability to focus on objects closer to their eyes than adults do. Due to this, children hold their reading material close as well. However, as they grow older, these habits usually change. If not, this may be a sign of myopia (nearsightedness).To detect possible eye problems, children should have regular eye exams.