Improving Eye Health With Diet and Exercises
Q: My child nearing age 12 complained about unclear far sight. We have checked with optician. It is – 1.5 for both eyes. Please clarify on followings.
1. Should I go to an eye specialist for confirmation?
2. At this age is it a higher number?
3. How can we improve our lost eye sight?
4. What should be given to such affected children?
5. My younger 7 year old son was also detected 0.25 number six months ago, but has now recovered; no specs is required.
6. Is it possible to recover from -1.5 stage by any exercise or diet?
7. Will this number change as child grows.
Please suggest.
Reply:
The number is high for any age. There is no harm in consulting an ophthalmologist for a second opinion.
You can definitely make an improvement in his number. Diet and exercises play an important role in eye health.
Care for the Eye
- Limit his screen hours. This would include watching T.V., computer, video games etc. The total time should be within 1 to 2 hours per day. Screens are very strenuous for eyes. Read more about it here.
- Wash eyes frequently with cool water after coming from outdoors.
- Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Include vitamin A rich items like raw carrots, pumpkin, mango, banana etc.
- Relax your eyes more frequently during your work periods. While studying, for example, close your eyes for 5 minutes after every half an hour.
- Your ophthalmologist may tell you about certain eye exercises designed especially to relax eye muscles. These can be done over a machine or at home.
- Do not avoid specs. Wear them whenever required.
- Sleep adequately.
- While studying or doing any other eye work, assure that the lights are proper and adequate. Ideally, the source of light should be diffuse or from behind (left side). Light coming from front produces a glare and adds up to the eye strain.
- Go for an eye check up every year.
Take Care,
Buddy M.D.
My 8 yr old son has down syndrome and is non-verbal. He has had a fever for 3 days, mostly at night. Since he can’t communicate, it’s difficult to know what other symptoms he’s experiencing, but I notice he had green crust in the corners of both his eyes. And he seems to not want me to touch him on his head and if I try he pushes my hands away. Any ideas.
Greenish discharge at the corners of the eye is likely to indicate some infection in his conjunctiva.
Is your son’s eye red to look at, is it tender to touch?
It is advisable to act prompt to prevent the spread of infection into deeper parts of the eye. Take him to an eye doctor. He may need to put antibiotic eye drops in both his eyes.
Apart from this, keep his eyes clean. Wash them daily with clear cool water.