08/18/2026
August is Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month, and with families preparing for another school year, this is a good time to focus on the role healthy vision plays in learning, development and everyday safety.
Here are 8 simple things parents can do to protect their child’s vision throughout the year:
1.
Keep up with regular eye exams: In Ontario, children and youth under the age of 20 are eligible for an annual eye exam covered by OHIP. Children don’t always recognize that their vision could be better, so regular exams are important even when they aren’t reporting problems.
2.
Pay attention to changes: Squinting, covering one eye, tilting the head, frequent blinking, headaches, or sitting very close to books or screens can indicate a vision problem.
3.
Protect their eyes during activities: Sports such as baseball, basketball, hockey and racquet sports can pose a risk of eye injury. Dr. Anjema recommends properly fitted, sport-specific protective eyewear to help reduce that risk.
4.
Think about eye safety outdoors: UV exposure can affect the eyes over time. Children should wear sunglasses that provide 100% UVA and UVB protection when they’re outside.
5.
Encourage outdoor play: Spending more time outdoors can help lower the risk of developing nearsightedness, or myopia.
6.
Be mindful around water: As summer activities come to an end, remind children to wear goggles while swimming to help protect their eyes from chlorine, bacteria and other irritants or debris in pools and lakes.
7.
Take regular breaks from screens: Encourage children to take breaks from TVs, computers, video games and cell phones. Regular breaks, good viewing distance and time spent outdoors can help reduce eye strain and excessive near work.
8.
Promote a balanced diet: A varied diet that includes nutrients important to eye health, including vitamins A, C and E and omega-3 fatty acids, can help support healthy eyes.
Early detection of vision or eye-health problems can give children a better start in the classroom. As families enjoy these final days of August, AEI recommends that it's also a good time to make eye health and safety part of the back-to-school routine.
