Prevent Blindness focuses on kids’ eye health in August

Prevent Blindness, in partnership with the National Optometric Association, announced that August is Children’s Eye Health and Safety Awareness Month.

According to a press release from Prevent Blindness, routine vision screening and eye examination rates for children were found to be impacted by household income, race and health literacy. The 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health reported that in the U.S. less than 70% of children receive appropriate eye health services.

As household income increases, the more likely it becomes that a child will receive vision screening and eye examinations. Additionally, Prevent Blindness said the survey found that eye health services were more often administered to white, non-Hispanic children, and preventive vision care had the lowest rate among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders. Subsequently, minority children are at an increased risk of missing critical vision screenings and eye examinations.

Furthermore, low health literacy is becoming a prevalent problem in the U.S., according to an article published in Pediatrics. Prevent Blindness said the article reports that 90 million adults have a limited understanding of basic health information and services. Health literacy of parents and caregivers is an important component to the overall health of a child, beginning with the use of preventive services.

As Children’s Eye Health and Safety Awareness Month, August will be dedicated to educating the public about the importance of eye health for children. Free information about amblyopia (lazy eye), strabismus (crossed eyes), recommended sports eye protection and other topics are available on the Prevent Blindness website.

Prevent Blindness also offers parents and care givers a list of financial assistance programs to expand access to eye examinations and eye wear.

Even if there are no signs of trouble, Prevent Blindness recommends that all children should have regular vision checkups. However, some children are at a higher risk of developing eye problems. According to the release, these complications include premature birth, eye injury or diabetes. Family history of eye problems, which can range from childhood cataracts to lazy eye to misaligned eyes or eye tumors, can also factor into a child’s risk of developing a vision problem.

OcuSoft Inc. will make a donation to Prevent Blindness in support of Children’s Eye Health and Safety Awareness Month, according to the release.

Reference:

Cheng TL, et al. Pediatrics. 2009;doi:10.1542/peds.2009-1100C.