September, School, Sports and Safety
World patient safety day is celebrated in September. With kids and students returning to school, the importance of eye health and vision are critical. A large percentage of children are annually diagnosed with poor eyesight. Today, everyone, including kids, spends too much time in front of screens. That can cause eye strain and headaches. Studies have suggested prolonged exposure to digital screens could potentially be contributing to the rising prevalence of short sightedness in children.
Doctor William H. Bates was an ophthalmologist in New York City 100 years ago and created a natural method of improving eyesight. He helped many of his patients cease needing glasses and improve vision without surgeries or medications. One of Dr. Bates’ projects was working with schoolchildren to improve their vision by putting Snellen eye charts in the classrooms, so kids could check themselves daily without pressure and get familiar with them.
Dr. Bates wrote: “Teachers who have studied my book or have been patients find it an advantage to have the children palm five minutes three or four times a day. They claim that palming quiets the children and gives them an improved mental efficiency, which is a great help to their memory and imagination as well as their sight. I believe other children should be taught how to palm, swing, blink and improve their vision of the Snellen Test Card…It has been in continuous use for more than twenty years in the public schools of New York and other cities… The method is of great value to young children in kindergarten and children in the high schools and should be practiced by students and teachers in colleges and universities.”
Playing time and movement are very important for our body, including eyesight. To improve hand-eye coordination, there is value in participating in sports. Try to encourage your children to spend time outside and maybe join them or play ball with your friends. By experiencing natural light and seeing objects at various distances, eyes will get a much-needed workout, and we will learn to adapt our vision rather than spending most of the time focusing on near vision tasks. Physical activity also improves the circulation and function of all organs, including our brain and eyes. I am collaborating with my colleague Irena Castle who created an eye trainer https://bit.ly/3zJFKxH and offers juggling workshop among others for vision improvement https://www.overboundeyesight.com/programs MILA5. Please check it out to get a discount.
I personally improved my eyesight with Bates method, got rid of my glasses. My first reaction was skeptical, given my medical training and experience as an ophthalmologist. But it really works, I saw great positive results in many of my students I teach quarterly during vision training courses.
My eye care tips for everyone:
- Take breaks from your screen and give your eyes a chance to reset. Use the 20-8-2 rule: after every 20 minutes of sitting, stand for 8 minutes, then move for 2 minutes.
- Avoid eyestrain and stare by blinking more often and maybe just closing your eyes for a minute or two when appropriate.
- Spend at least 30 minutes to an hour outside each day to stimulate your eyes and get a healthy dose of Vitamin D. Walk, run, bike-it will improve circulation to the whole body, including your eyes.
- Wear protective eye gear. Please invest in purchasing protective glasses to use in playing sports and prevent eye injuries.
- Include vegetables and fruits such as carrots, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, and leafy greens in your diet to help support healthy eyes and may prevent or lessen common vision problems. Essential Vitamins A, C and E, antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin, protect our eyes.
Stay safe, well and happy in September!
Check out my YouTube presentation for Clear Vision Wednesday:
