Adolescence is a time of great change in the body, and while signs of puberty such as growth spurts, voice changes, and acne are all to be expected, changes within the eyes are more subtle, but can occur as well. Children who never needed glasses or contacts may suddenly find themselves starting the new high school year requiring corrective lenses. Some of the changes in a teenager’s vision is structurally related, but for the most part, eye health concerns in teens stem more so from behaviors. In today’s post, we’ll take a closer look at three of the top eye health concerns for teens and how you can help prevent them.
Eye Trauma
A normal part of the developing teen is taking risks and engaging in behaviors quite recklessly due to the perception of invincibility. Contact sports, physical activities, and other behaviors can result in activities that cause trauma to the eye, damaging sensitive eye structures.
To help your teen prevent eye injury, teach them to take precautions and think more about their actions as well as use protective wear. For example, wearing helmets while riding their bike or playing contact sports, and wearing goggles while mixing ingredients in chemistry class can help prevent traumatic eye injury.
UV Damage
UV sunlight damage to the eyes is more common than most people think, and even when symptoms of sun damage to the eyes may not be apparent immediately, irreversible damage often occurs in adolescence. Common teenage activities including cruising in cars, riding bikes, swimming, skiing, or any outdoor activity can expose eyes to harmful UV light.
You can help protect your teen’s eyes from UV damage by encouraging sunglass use, especially while driving or engaging in water or snowsports. Teaching them about sun safety young will set them up for a lifetime of protective behaviors that can prevent significant eye damage.
Digital Eye Strain
Adolescents spend a considerable amount of time in front of screens. From attending school on computers, playing video games and watching television or movies with friends, and communicating and navigating life on their smartphones, a typical teenager in 2021 spends the majority of their waking hours looking at screens. Teens don’t usually pay much attention to how much time they are spending on devices nor how it is affecting their eye health.
When limiting screen time feels impossible, you can still help optimize your teen’s eye health by teaching them to use protective barriers including screen films, dimming features, or blue light blocking glasses. Using an eye vitamin containing lutein and zeaxanthin like our Blue Light Defender® gummies offers total eye support throughout the day, regardless of which screen they are looking at.
At Viteyes, we are passionate about supporting eye health and healthy eye habits to help reduce the risks of eye damage at every age. Adolescence is a time where children are transitioning to adults and formulating the habits that will carry them through their lives. By empowering them to take control of their own eye health at a young age, you can support a healthier future. For more teen eye health information, visit us online or browse our entire Blue Light Defender line today.
