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How to Improve Weak Eyesight in Children
It is alarming to see the increasing number of children wearing power glasses these days. Technology is meant to help us and simplify our lives, but too many inventions have affected the health of the children and made them lazy. If you have kids, you know how much time they spend watching television, scouring the internet on a computer, playing games on mobile phones, and reading on digital tablets. Spending too much time on these gadgets can be hazardous to their body, and especially affect their eyesight. Young children and adolescents have become more prone to eyesight-related problems. However, this growing problem can be curbed by timely measures and precautions.
Natural Ways to Improve Eyesight in Kids
There are many natural ways that you can incorporate to improve your child’s eyesight. To protect their eyes and keep them healthy, you must make sure that your child consumes a healthy diet and lives a healthy lifestyle. Wondering how to improve your child’s eyesight naturally? Adequate nutrition, exercise, and regular examination are simple steps to tackle poor eyesight.
Here are some ways to help improve the eyesight of your children:
Food and Supplements
A balanced diet rich in essential nutrients is the solution to good eye health. The following are the food items that you must include in your daily meals:
1. Green Leafy Vegetables
The anti-oxidative properties of carotenoids can keep free radicals away from the eyes. These carotenoids are found in abundance in green leafy vegetables that are rich in Vitamin A. They also contain other vitamins and minerals like calcium, Vitamin C, and Vitamin B12. So, start giving generous helpings of broccoli, kale, and collard greens to your child. Spinach is also beneficial for good eyesight as it is high on antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin. However, these leafy vegetables must not be over-cooked. It works best when consumed raw.
2. Other Colourful Vegetables
Vegetables like tomatoes and radish prevent macular degeneration (which is the main cause of loss of vision) and cataract. Other colourful vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes are loaded with beta-carotenes that provide protection from the Sun and keep the retina healthy. Capsicum is also good to improve your child’s eyesight. Zucchini is rich in antioxidants like zeaxanthin and lutein and protects the eyes.
3. Nuts and Seeds
Pistachios, cashews, almonds, walnuts and peanuts are rich in Vitamin E and can naturally reduce the chances of myopia in children. These nuts also have some amount of omega-3 fatty acids. Together, these fatty acids and Vitamin E prevent dry eyes. Consumption of flax seeds and chia seeds can also knock out eye-related problems.
4. Fish Oil
Fish oil can be obtained from varieties of fish like salmon, mackerel, and tuna. Our retina consists of DHA which is a fatty acid that is present in fish oil. Lack of DHA in the retina can cause dryness and can lead to eye problems. Giving fish oil to your child can prevent dryness and curb the chances of eye problems.
5. Legumes
Bioflavonoids and zinc, which are found abundantly in legumes, can prevent the retina from damaging. Children must eat legumes like black-eyed peas, lentils and kidney beans for a healthy eyesight. We know that kids don't like eating legumes but don't listen to your child's complains. Legumes are good for eye health and you must make sure your child eats them.
6. Whole Grains
Zinc is essential for the eyes and is found in whole grains like whole wheat and brown rice. Whole grains are also packed with other eyesight-friendly nutrients like niacin and Vitamin E. So, avoid giving white carbohydrates like white bread, pasta, and plain rice to your child and opt for whole grains.
7. Eggs
Eggs are rich in Vitamin A and proteins. They are also loaded with lutein, an antioxidant that prevents blindness and fights macular degeneration. Eggs also maintain the ocular structural integrity and ensure proper functioning of the eyes. So, let your child eat eggs and keep eye problems at bay.
8. Fruits
Vitamin C is essential for healthy eyes and can be obtained from citrus fruits like oranges, guava, lemons, tomatoes, etc. Protect your child from eye infections and diseases by giving them strawberries. Orange or yellow fruits like mangoes, papaya and apricots are rich in Vitamin A, which is vital for preventing night blindness. Apricot is a super-fruit packed with carotenoids, beta-carotene, and lycopene and must be given to kids regularly. Blueberries and grapes are filled with anthocyanins which improve night vision, and thereby, help the eyes to easily adapt to the dark. Blueberries also have vision-enhancing flavonoids like resveratrol, quercetin and rutin. So, give a fruit daily to your child.
9. Beef
Dark meat is a rich source of zinc. It is also found in oysters. Zinc is the mineral that delivers Vitamin A from your liver to your retina. This aids in uninterrupted melanin production in the eyes. Melanin is the pigment in the eyes that keeps the retinal photoreceptors and the rods healthy and curbs night blindness.
10. Avocados
Lutein is a carotenoid vitamin that prevents eyes from diseases like cataracts and improves vision in children. Avocadoes are rich in lutein and must be regularly consumed.
11. Vitamin Supplements
If your child is a fussy eater and isn’t getting proper nutrition through food, then you must turn to vitamin supplements. Multi-vitamin syrups and other food supplements like juices and shakes will meet the nutrition requirements of his body and prevent eye problems.
Exercises
The following are some exercises that you can engage your children in on a daily basis.
Ask your child to move his eyes up and down. Tell him to look up towards the ceiling and focus, then look down and focus. Ask him to do 10 reps of this exercise. Then, change to the sides and repeat that too.
Now, this exercise can be fun for your child. Ask him to move his eyes in different ways. He can move his eyeballs diagonally, in a zigzag fashion and in a horizontal as well as in the vertical figure of 8. Make him do 10-20 reps. of this exercise. However, make sure that he moves only his eyes and not his head.
Another simple exercise is 'blink'. However, kids as well as don't blink their eyes frequently which leads to eye problems. Ask your child to blink his eyes frequently to keep them moist.
Another exercise that your child can do is 'roll' his eyes. Ask him to roll his eyes clockwise and anti-clockwise slowly. Let him repeat this action.
Make him flutter his eyelids about 30 times, then close them, and rest for a couple of minutes.
Practising the eye-shift exercise regularly can also improve his eyesight. Make him begin by focussing on a distant object, followed by changing focus to a nearby object. Let him do 10 reps of this exercise. To make it easy for your child, you can ask him to keep his arm straight and raise his thumb or a finger in front and shift his focus from a painting or photo on a distant wall to this finger.
Attach a ball to a string and swing it like a pendulum. Ask your child to track the to-and-fro movement of the ball without moving his head.
Massage the area around the eyes with fingertips can also relax his eyes. You can even massage his neck for relaxation.
Close your eyes and massage the eyelids using your fingertips. Apply light pressure to stimulate the eyes.
Practice deep abdominal breathing for adequate oxygen intake.
Healthy Habits
Some healthy habits that can help you boost your child’s vision and ensure better eyesight are:
Give him healthy foods. Refrain from giving him junk food, processed food items, aerated drinks, and refined sugar as much as possible.
Always ensure there is adequate lighting or natural light when your child is reading or studying.
Religiously avoid prolonged use of computers and other gadgets. Encourage your child to take a break at regular intervals.
Make sure that your kid gets enough sleep and proper rest as it will keep his eyes healthy. Relaxation for the eyes is also as important as good nutrition and exercise.
A healthy lifestyle is a key to all eyesight woes. Let your eyes eat healthy food, sleep well, and exercise for sharp eyesight and obviously, a healthy body.
Regular Eye Checkup
Periodic examination of the eyes can help curb concerns of weak eyesight in toddlers. Consult a qualified and experienced doctor and get your child’s eyes checked regularly. Timely action and treatment can help you and your child immensely.
In today's times, children usually have an eyesight problem, but with these easy lifestyle changes and healthy habits, you can ensure that your kid's eyes are safe. A balanced diet enriched with all the required nutrition, exercise and good sleep will keep your child's eyes healthy and happy.
Also Read: Eye Care Tips for Children Read more
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Celebrate Diwali in an Eco Friendly Manner - Here's How
Diwali is a cause for celebration. It’s the one time of the year when everyone puts everything aside and gets together to spend time with the family. With all the new clothes, Diwali food, and all the light and colours everywhere, it is indeed a merry time all over the country.
However, with changing times, we need to revisit how we celebrate Diwali.
6 Tips to Celebrate a Green Diwali
Diwali – while being a joyous festival – is also a time when we need to be responsible. Most parents, while gearing up with making all the preparations and getting the house ready, will also have an eye on their kids, making sure they don’t get too close to the lamps or crackers and don’t come down with a cold or allergic reaction because of all the smoke.
A few families that have elders or pets in the house may also try and celebrate Diwali in a more conscionable manner – taking measures to avoid sound as well as noise pollution. However, there are a few more ways in which we can make Diwali a ‘clean and green’ festival. Here’s how.
1. Say ‘No’ to Crackers
For quite a while, this motto has been a recurring theme of Diwali celebrations. However, there are more than one considerations that make this the best approach for everyone to adopt. Crackers cause a lot of air and noise pollution. Since we now live in close proximity of each other (in apartments that are separated by only a few steps), we must not only worry about our family, but also of the families around us – many of whom may have old grandparents or pets in the house.
However, children cannot celebrate Diwali without crackers. One way to resolve this dilemma is to celebrate Diwali together as a community – that way, everyone gets to burst crackers, but fewer crackers are burst collectively. Another step that can make it an enjoyable experience is to have a mutually agreed upon deadline – after which no one should burst crackers.
2. Buy Local
A lot of us are switching from the traditional diyas (oil lamps) to electrical ones. Indeed the electrical lamps have a lot of benefits – they never go out, they are easier to maintain, and will never stain your expensive festive clothes, or even the house.
However, most of these electric lamps are made of plastic. They are also not made in India – so we are celebrating our festival by boosting a foreign economy. All this, at the cost of a lot of local artists and communities running out of a means of making money. Finally, switching to electrical lights everywhere is what makes the electricity-consumption around Diwali sky-rocket. And let’s face it – don’t the diyas look a lot prettier? So why not go organic and cut down on some bills too?
3. Say ‘No’ to Plastic Shopping Bags
One thing that gets everyone excited about Diwali is all the shopping! However, shopping means a lot of plastic bags!
Plastic is the number one enemy of the environment, most will agree. One way to reduce your use of plastic is to insist on paper shopping bags. Even better would be to just carry your own shopping bags – either old plastic ones that you saved from your previous shopping trips, or cloth bags that you bought or had made.
4. Opt for Reusable Plates for Guests
Us Indians are a lot like Monica from Friends – we never want to use our fancy Chinaware or glassware, even when guests come over! God only knows what we like to save it for... and we don’t even have a Queen! So why not make our loved ones feel special by serving them snacks and food in fancy crockery?
So this Diwali, instead of opting for plastic plates and thermocol glasses to serve your guests Diwali snacks and refreshments when they pay you a visit, go for the regular glass or steel plates. You may even consider using any silverware you may have.
5. Gift Health Instead of Sweets
The pressure of buying a good Diwali gift for our loved ones is overwhelming. It is difficult to pick something that has utility and value, and is not just another decorative item that will go on a study-desk, or up on the wall. And so most of us resort to sweets or dry fruits.
However, with the majority of us becoming health conscious these days, even sweets and dry fruits are becoming an obsolete gift. So why not switch to a ‘clean and green’ present? We are talking about plants.
Plants can become a great project for the children of the house – it is a living thing that needs to be cared for, nurtured and nourished and will teach children tenacity, discipline and patience. In our concrete jungles, potted plants can be our small yet powerful connection to nature. Finally, indoor plants serve more than one purpose – they can make your house look pretty, purify the air, and some can even keep insects and mosquitoes away!
6. Use Eco-Friendly Rangoli Colours
Rangolis are a huge part of Diwali celebrations – all of us have witnessed or been a part of a rangoli-making competition at least once! But what we forget about these pretty and colourful designs is that they require synthetic colours that are dangerous for the environment. We can’t skip out on making them, but we can do our best to make sure it complies with our eco-friendly Diwali celebration – opt for rangolis that can be made using flowers, or use eco-friendly colours that do not cause harm to our surroundings. It’s really about the simple choices!
Let us all pledge to be responsible citizens and celebrate a clean, green, smoke-free, noiseless and organic Diwali this year!
Also Read:
DIY Diwali Craft Ideas for Children
Interesting Facts about Diwali for Kids
Fun Diwali Game and Activity for Kids
Creative Diwali Card Idea for Children Read more
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Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Trying To Conceive
9 hours ago
Q. #AskTheExpert hello dr.
baby planning kar rhi kuch tips btayiye conceive ho jaye
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
9 hours ago
A. it's a natural process ok. if there is no relief it is better you see your doctor for proper examination particularly physical examination if there is need for doing investigations to find out the problem and treatment ok
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
8 hours ago
Q. when baby is kick? I'm 13 weeks pregnant
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant
Ayurvedic Gynaecologist
8 hours ago
A. during first pregnancy you may feel the baby movements after 24 to 25 weeks of pregnancy and till then only mild flatters may be felt but which you may not be feeling if you are doing some work
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 2 months
7 hours ago
Q. I’m in my 31 week 1 day of pregnancy. What will be my delivery date??
As I have low lying placenta with grade 1 maturity.
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
7 hours ago
A. you had to correlate is ultrasound examination. if there is no relief it is better you see your doctor for proper examination particularly physical examination if there is need for doing investigations to find out the problem and treatment ok
Rashmi has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 2 months
7 hours ago
Q. My hemoglobin is 6.4 from 28 weeks of pregnancy. Now I’m 31 weeks pregnant. What should I do?
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 7 m old girl
7 hours ago
A. Haven’t when you having some kind of iron supplement because they’re very good during the time of pregnancy if you are not having one you need to start with and whatever tabs you take you should just take it with any good juice specially pomegranate juice that’s going to help in doubling the impact of the medicine that you’re taking secondly try and include more of Iron which diet like spinach broccoli beetroot pomegranate black rice sweet potato these things are exceptionally healthy for you to consume
Rashmi has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 2 months
6 hours ago
Q. This is my cbc report
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 7 m old girl
6 hours ago
A. No there is nothing visible on my wall so I can really really cannot help you can you please repose the question once again providing all the necessary details as once I’m certain what are you talking about what’s mentioned in the report according to that I can provide you proper help on your question
Dr Sameer awadhiya has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
4 hours ago
Q. #asktheexpert
now I'm 24 weeks. Sometimes I'm feeling pain in my thigh.
Dr Sameer awadhiya
Paediatrician
4 hours ago
A. For thegh query asked needs consultation with doctor for proper guidance so it is better that the doctor will guide you the correct way .
Onlfine consultation can also be taken and the expert will give you the proper answer .
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