I stumbled upon this website, Eye Didn't Know That which is geared towards children, parents, teachers and caregivers to offer a fun and interactive way to learn more about the eyes. For children, with glasses or without, it's a great resource to help explain the importance of good eye health. From coloring pages to optical illusions, activities and more, your children just might be entertained while learning some great things. One feature, the Virtual Timeline, even offers interesting factoids such as over a thousand years ago, the Chinese created dark spectacles to ward off evil spirits.
The optical illusions are always fun to test what you see and it becomes a game to play with others. The Ferris Wheel appears to be moving. There really are a lot of fun activities to play alone or with your child.
For parents, there are resources for knowing more about children's eye health:
Children’s Eyes are More Sensitive
Children’s eyes are naturally more sensitive to environmental factors that can be damaging to their eyes:
- The average child receives three times the annual UV exposure than an adult.
- The lens of the eye of a child under age 10 allows more than six times the amount of UV radiation to penetrate than an adult’s eye.
- When you protect the skin around your eyes—and everywhere else—during the first 18 years of your life, the risk of cancer is likely to be reduced by 50%. This means that in addition to regular eye exams, you should make sure your children’s eyes and skin are protected from UV rays whenever they are outside—protect your children’s eyes from the sun with UV-blocking lenses, such as Transitions lenses, wide-brimmed hats covering the eyes, ears, face and neck, and sunscreen.
Healthy Sight Checklist
- Visit an eye doctor regularly for a complete eye exam. To locate an eye doctor near you, click here.
- Maintain a balanced diet high in beta-carotene and take vitamin supplements, if recommended
- Exercise regularly
- Drink eight to ten glasses of water a day to hydrate your body and eyes
- Make a conscious effort to periodically rest your eyes and blink frequently – especially when reading, working on a computer or watching television
- Avoid rubbing your eyes
- Wear sunscreen and UV-protective clothing, such as a wide-brimmed hat
- Select everyday eyewear, like Transitions lenses, that automatically block 100 percent of UV rays and help to reduce distracting glare
