5 Reasons to Use Eye Supplements for Kids

Your child’s eyes are a unique piece of their identity. They also play a role in how your child learns, expresses themselves, creates, and sees the world. Your child’s eyes are worth protecting, and one of the best ways to ensure healthy eyes and healthy vision is to introduce a nutritional supplement meant for eye health.  

In this article, we break down a few of the most common eye issues in children, plus list five big reasons you should be giving your child eye supplements. Let’s get to it!

Reasons to Use Eye Supplements for Kids 

1. They Contain Important Eye-Healthy Vitamins 

Children need certain vitamins and nutrients in order to grow, and this is especially true of kids’ eyes and their eye health. Lutein and zeaxanthin are just a few of the nutrients that keep growing eyes healthy. Though these nutrients are plentiful in foods like leafy greens, not every child is willing and able to eat such foods. A health supplement simply bridges the gap between what kids eat and what they need by providing proper daily doses of important vitamins and minerals. 

2. More Kids Than Ever Are Using Digital Devices 

Ask any optometrist or ophthalmologist and they’ll likely tell you the number of children they are seeing with vision problems is increasing rapidly. Headaches, trouble sleeping, eye fatigue, and eye strain are all increasingly common among children, and the culprit is the digital screen. Children who spend hours each day staring at a screen are exposed to very large amounts of blue light, a highly energized color in the visible light spectrum. Though a decrease in screen time is the best way to protect children’s eyes, many pediatric eye supplements are also formulated to help the eye better absorb blue light. 

3. These Nutrients Promote Brain Health 

20/20 vision depends on both the eyes and the brain. In fact, a whopping 30% of the brain is devoted to visual pathways. Therefore, taking care of your brain health is also taking care of your eye health. A good children’s eye vitamin will promote brain health too, and it turns out that lutein and zeaxanthin also help with brain function and focus. That is why increased density of these pigments within the eye has actually been linked to better academic performance in kids according to several studies.  

4. They Help Prevent Vision Issues Later in Life 

As we get older, we become more vulnerable to eye and vision problems like age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, dry eyes, and even vision loss. Indeed, according to a study done by the National Institutes of Health,14 million Americans are visually impaired. By ensuring your child is following proper eye care – including getting the right vitamins and minerals for eye health – you may help them delay or avoid life-altering vision problems down the road.   

5. Childhood Vision Problems are More Common Than You Might Think 

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), “approximately 6.8% of children younger than 18 years in the United States have a diagnosed eye and vision condition” –  the key word being “diagnosed” because the American Optometric Association estimates that as many as 25% of American children have undiagnosed vision problems. By incorporating an eye-healthy supplement into your child’s daily routine, you can provide them with the nutrients they need to maintain proper vision health. 

Common Eye Problems in Children 

Vision disability is one of the most prevalent disabling conditions among children, according to the CDC. Some of the most common eye problems in kids include:

1. Hyperopia (Farsightedness)

Also known as hypermetropia or farsightedness, childhood hyperopia is a refractive defect that presents as blurred vision. It occurs because images are focused behind the retina. Nearly all newborns experience hyperopia at birth, though as many as 96% of them completely outgrow the condition by their first birthday. Older children who are diagnosed with farsightedness are often prescribed glasses or contact lenses to correct their vision and improve their quality of life. In some cases, childhood hyperopia is the result of genetics and family history, though extra vision work and repeated eye strain can also be causes. 

2. Myopia (Nearsightedness) 

Myopia, or nearsightedness, occurs when a child’s eyeball is elongated from front to back, or when the cornea is curved too steeply. In either case, light entering the eye doesn’t quite reach the retina in the back, and objects far away appear blurry. Myopia is extremely common, affecting as many as 5% of preschoolers, 10% of elementary school children, and 30% of adolescents! Though it can’t be cured, myopia can be treated with glasses or contact lenses. Once a child has gotten older (and their eyes have stopped growing), refractive surgery like LASIK can be performed. 

3. Astigmatism 

Astigmatism is the medical term for irregularly shaped corneas. An improperly curved cornea means there are two image points, and this leads to blurry vision.  Astigmatism is a very common childhood vision problem. In fact, it is estimated by the National Eye Institute that as many as 10% of preschool-aged children have astigmatism. Glasses and contact lenses are the main treatments for astigmatism in children, as is refractive surgery in those over 12 years old. 

4. Amblyopia 

Better known as “lazy eye,” amblyopia is when poor vision in just one eye causes the eyeball to weaken and look as if it is wandering. It is caused by a disconnect between the brain and one eye, and worsens as the brain stops recognizing sight from the weaker eye and begins to rely more and more on the stronger eye. Though amblyopia is very common in children, affecting as many as 3 in every 100, treatments are readily available if it is caught early, and are usually effective at preventing any further vision loss. The most common causes of amblyopia include premature birth, smaller birth weight, and family history. 

Nurtureyes for Kids by Eyetamins

Nurtureyes by Eyetamins is a tasty and convenient option when it comes to ensuring your child is receiving the proper nutrients for eye health. Formulated by an ophthalmologist and backed by science, Nurtureyes gummies contain the recommended dosage of lutein, zeaxanthin, and other important vitamins required to maintain proper eye health in this increasingly digital world.

In addition to promoting eye health, Nurtureyes supports cognitive development and a healthy immune system, promotes sleep and focus, and assists the eyes in filtering blue light from screens. Each bottle contains enough easy-to-chew, mango-flavored multivitamins to last 30 days.     

People Also Ask 

1. Do eye vitamins really help? 

Eye vitamins provide the body with all of the most important nutrients for brain and eye health, including lutein and zeaxanthin. While it is possible to get these through foods like spinach, pistachios, egg yolks, and red grapes, picky eaters or those with certain allergies will need to obtain these important nutrients through eye vitamins. Eye vitamins are especially beneficial for children, who often grow quickly, have fast metabolisms, and may not eat eye-healthy foods as often as their bodies need to.   

2. Why should kids take supplements? 

Children grow quickly! Sometimes, this means kids’ bodies absorb and use up nutrients faster than they are made available. For this reason, the United States Department of Health recommends that all children under the age of five years old take a supplement containing vitamins A, C, and D. For children who do not like certain vitamin-rich foods, or who are already exhibiting certain deficiencies, supplements are an especially important part of the childhood diet. 

3. Are vitamin supplements necessary for kids? 

According to the Department of Health, all children aged six months to five years should routinely take a supplement containing necessary vitamins. While some children are able to get enough lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, and vitamin E through their daily diets, others need the boost that vitamin supplements so conveniently provide. 

4. What is the best vitamin to take for your eyes?

The best vitamin to take for your eyes will include lutein and zeaxanthin, the two nutrients most associated with good eye health. 

5. Why is it important to take care of your eyes for kids?

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), nearly five million Americans aged 40 years or older suffer from uncorrectable vision impairment. Because of digital advancements that have occurred over the past two decades, this number is only expected to increase. Therefore, it is more important than ever that today’s parents take the steps necessary to protect their children’s developing eyes in order to strengthen and prepare them for future use. 

Conclusion

Eye health should be a major focus of your child’s overall health care, and one of the easiest ways to ensure your kids are getting the proper vitamins and minerals is to incorporate a daily supplement formulated for eye health. Packed with lutein, zeaxanthin, and vitamins A, C, D, and E (plus antioxidants, calcium, and loads of other goodness), these eye-healthy chewables are specially designed to protect your child’s vision, strengthen their eye muscles, boost focus, and brain health, and prevent serious vision issues.