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Do not take vision for granted! Take care of your eyes, and help your child do the same.

• Wear sunglasses.  Sunlight can damage eyes exactly the way it can damage skin: by burning.  Like sunburn, eye surface burns are painful but temporary.  However, repeated exposure to the sun can cause irreversible damage to the eye.  A simple way to avoid this UV damage is by wearing sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat.  When buying sunglasses, be sure to choose a pair that blocks 99-100% of ultraviolet rays, or a pair that advertises UV absorption up to 400nm.
  
  Let your child pick out the pair of sunglasses he wants to be sure that he will like wearing them.  Remember to be a role model and wear your own sunglasses and hat whenever you go outside.  UV rays come through even on cloudy days, so it is wise to wear them on both sunny and overcast days.
  
  
• Always keep children under six months old out of direct sunlight. 
  
  
• Teach your children never to look directly at the sun.
  
  
• Examine games and toys closely for pieces that could harm eyes.  BB guns, darts, pellet guns, and paintball are particularly dangerous.
  
  
• Supervise your child when he is using scissors, pencils, and paper clips  Pens, knives, wire coat hangers, and fishhooks are other common objects that injure the eyes.
  
  
• Avoid using chemical sprays near children, and be sure to keep them out of reach.  If the chemicals do get into your child’s eyes, immediately flush the eyes out with clean water, and call the child’s doctor or call for emergency care. 
  
  
• Do not mow the lawn with your child nearby.  Stones and other debris from the grass can cause eye injury.  When mowing or using any power tool, set an example by wearing protective eyewear.