Healthy Eyes | Tips for Teaching Students About Eye Health

We just finished a study of light in my classroom including learning parts of the eye!  So, it is a perfect time for this guest post...
Lenscrafters has been kind enough to offer some tips that you can teach your students about how to keep their eyes healthy which in turn helps our students learn!
 

Teach Your Students Ways to Maintain Healthy Eyesight

Teaching kids the fundamentals of keeping their eyes healthy is a responsibility that largely falls on the on the parents. However, teachers can have a hand in sharing this information as well. After all, a child can’t do their best in school if they can’t clearly see what’s being taught. Consider discussing some of these key ways to keep eyes healthy with your students.

1. Annual eye exams

When it comes to healthy eyes, nothing is more important than getting regular routine eye exams. Only an eye doctor  can diagnose issues whether they’re something as common as farsightedness or astigmatism, or more serious like glaucoma or ocular migraines. Stress this fact to your students and consider mentioning it to parents as well.

2. Sun protection

For most adults, it’s second nature to throw on a pair of sunglasses on the way out the door every day. But for kids, it’s not as common. Yet, a child’s eyes are more susceptible to the sun’s damaging rays than an adult’s are, so encourage your students to wear sunglasses throughout the year. For those who wear corrective lenses, suggest they inquire about prescription sunglasses  at their next eye doctor visit.

3. Computer-related eye strain

With an increasingly digital world, kids are spending more and more time in front of computer screens both at home and in the classroom. Teach your students how to sit with proper posture when they’re in front of the computer, and make sure they don’t sit too close to the screen. It’s also a good idea to set a limit on computer time as excessive time spent looking at the screen may cause eye strain which can lead to headaches and increased fatigue.

4. Wearing and taking care of glasses

For your students who wear eyeglasses, particularly the younger ones, reinforcing proper care for eyewear while they’re at school is another simple way to encourage healthy eyesight. If you notice they’re leaving their glasses lying out on their desk, suggest they put them in a case to reduce the chance of the eyeglass frames  or lenses getting damaged. Also, make sure the student actually wears his or her glasses. Some kids might be embarrassed by their glasses and may try to avoid wearing them, especially if they get picked on for it. However, it’s imperative they see the board so they can learn what you’re teaching, so work with your students to realize that wearing glasses is nothing to be ashamed of.  

These tips are something kids can take outside the classroom and use for the rest of their lives. It never hurts to remind them how valuable their eyesight is and how these simple tips can help keep them healthy and seeing clearly for years to come.

Post is sponsored by LensCrafters