Preventing Myopia in the Future: How to Take Care of Babies' Eye Health Starting Today
Myopia, or difficulty seeing distant objects, is a vision problem that affects more people every day. In fact, it is estimated that by 2050, myopia could affect half of the world's population. As a mom or dad, there are many ways you can help protect your baby's vision and reduce the risk of myopia from birth. Here are some simple and effective measures!
1. Essential Nutrition: Omega-3 and Omega-6 for Visual Health
Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are vital nutrients for developing healthy eyesight. A recent study showed that premature babies who received supplements of these fatty acids had a 50% lower risk of developing eye diseases. In addition, breastfeeding is incredibly beneficial, as it contains DHA and other nutrients that support eye health.
Tip: Talk to a health care professional about considering omega-3 and omega-6 supplements in your baby's diet, especially if your baby was born prematurely. If you're breastfeeding, you can also supplement your diet with foods rich in these nutrients, such as fatty fish, flaxseed oil, and walnuts. This will help your baby get everything he or she needs for healthy vision.
2. Sunlight and Outdoor Time
Spending time outdoors and getting adequate sunlight is crucial for eye development. Exposure to natural light regulates the growth of the eyeball, helping to prevent it from becoming too long, which can cause nearsightedness.
Tip: Try to have your child spend between 80 and 120 minutes outdoors each day. In summer, look for the hours of less intense sunlight, such as morning or evening. And in winter, take advantage of any period of sunlight! This not only helps the eyes, but also strengthens their connection with nature.
3. Limit Screen Use
Early and prolonged exposure to electronic devices can be harmful to your baby's visual health. Constant use of screens forces the eyes to focus up close, affecting their ability to adapt to seeing at different distances and increasing the risk of myopia.
Tip: In the early years, avoid the use of screens and encourage visual development with physical games and activities that do not involve the use of technology. Construction games, walks in the open air, and illustrated books are perfect for stimulating their vision in a natural way.
4. Diet Rich in Lutein and Zeaxanthin
These antioxidants protect the retina and strengthen eye health, helping to prevent damage caused by blue light and myopia. Foods such as spinach, broccoli, peppers and corn are excellent sources of lutein and zeaxanthin.
Tip: Include these foods in your child's diet as soon as you start complementary feeding. Additionally, products such as Ocular Cell Regenerator (OCR) can deliver nutrients directly to the eyes, providing additional care with 100% natural ingredients.
5. Encourage Active and Outdoor Play
Active outdoor play not only improves eye health, but also contributes to your baby's physical and emotional development. Playing in nature helps the eyes adapt to different distances and scenarios, which can be a great ally in preventing myopia.
Tip: Make outdoor activities quality family time. Plan walks and outdoor games that everyone will enjoy, strengthening family bonds and promoting a balanced lifestyle.
Eye Exercises to Strengthen the Vision of the Little Ones
Incorporating eye exercises into your child's daily routine can be a fun and effective way to strengthen their visual organs and promote healthy visual development. Here are some simple and fun activities you can do with your child to improve their eye coordination and focus:
Follow the Finger
How to do it : Sit in front of your child and hold your finger about 20 cm away from his face. Move it slowly up, down, left and right, and ask him to follow the finger with his eyes without moving his head.
Benefits : This exercise improves coordination and control of the eye muscles.
Look Near and Far
How to do it : Place a toy about 15 cm from the child's face and another object further away, about 3 meters away. Ask him to look at the nearby object for a few seconds and then focus on the distant object. Repeat the change of focus several times.
Benefits : Helps strengthen the eyes' ability to shift focus between objects at different distances.
Throw and Catch Game
How to do it : Play catch with a soft ball or small toy. Start by throwing it slowly and gradually increase the speed, always maintaining eye contact with the ball.
Benefits : Helps improve hand-eye coordination as well as the ability to track moving objects.
Drawing with the Eyes (Tiger's Eye)
How to do it : Ask your child to imagine that he or she has a magic paintbrush on the tip of his or her nose. Now, invite him or her to "draw" different shapes in the air with that paintbrush, such as circles, triangles, or numbers. Encourage him or her to make big, sweeping movements.
Benefits : Strengthens eye muscles and promotes greater flexibility and control.
Palming (Eye Relaxation)
How to do it : Ask your child to sit comfortably, close his eyes and place his palms on them without pressing. Invite him to imagine a quiet place and breathe deeply for 1-2 minutes.
Benefits : Helps relax the eyes and reduces eye strain. This exercise is great after a screen time or reading session.
Look at an Imaginary Clock
How to do it : Sit in front of your child and ask him to imagine a large clock in front of him. Ask him to move his eyes clockwise, stopping at each "number" on the clock, and then counterclockwise.
Benefits : Strengthens eye muscles and improves eye range of motion.
Color Game (Visual Search)
How to do it : Pick a color and ask the child to find and point out objects of that color in the room. Change the color after a few minutes. You can do this with different shapes or types of objects as well.
Benefits : Stimulates visual acuity and improves attention to details in your environment.
Doing these exercises regularly, in a play environment, can be very beneficial in strengthening children's visual organs and improving their eye skills.
Conclusion
Preventing myopia from an early age requires a comprehensive approach that combines good eating habits, adequate supplementation and healthy lifestyle practices. Incorporating essential nutrients such as omega-3 and omega-6, present in foods like fish and nuts, contributes to healthy visual development from the first days of life. Breastfeeding mothers can support this process by consuming foods rich in these fatty acids, thus benefiting the quality of breast milk and, consequently, the visual health of their children.
On the other hand, time outdoors and exposure to sunlight play a vital role in proper eye growth. Spending 80-120 minutes outdoors a day not only promotes optimal visual development but also encourages an active and healthy lifestyle. Limiting the use of electronic screens and encouraging active outdoor play helps reduce the risk of myopia by keeping the eyes moving and focused on different distances.
Diet is also key to preventing myopia. Foods rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, such as spinach and broccoli, offer antioxidants that protect the eyes from long-term damage, including the effects of blue light from electronic devices. Products such as Ocular Cell Regenerator (RCO) can complement the diet, providing direct and natural nutrition for the eyes.
Adopting these habits from childhood not only protects against myopia, but also lays the foundation for long-lasting eye health. A proactive approach will not only help children avoid vision problems, but will allow them to enjoy a fuller life, with better visual abilities and a healthier connection to the world around them. By implementing these practices, we can give future generations the opportunity to maintain good eye health and improve their quality of life.
Article written by Beatrice Pieper , general coordinator of the International Institute of Visual Health
Article sponsored by:
Supporting Studies on the Benefits of Breastfeeding on Eye Health
Infant Nutrition and Stereoacuity: Breastfeeding contributes to the maturation of stereoscopic vision.
n-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation: Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in mothers and infants is associated with improvements in visual acuity.
Maternal DHA Intake: DHA intake by breastfeeding mothers improves visual function in infants.
🔍 Sources and References
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