Blog: December is Safe Toys and Gifts Month

Choosing the right toys for eye safety is a concern for every parent. Children are born with an underdeveloped visual system that grows with them. As part of normal infant vision development, newborns can see objects only up close, and toddlers and preschoolers commonly are farsighted. Throughout their growing years, children are visually stimulated.  Nothing stimulates a child's vision more easily than a toy.

Keep in mind that most childhood accidents occur at home, many with toys. Children spend a great deal of time playing with their toys, so you need to make sure those toys are safe for overall health as well as eye safety.  Usually when toys are not safe, it's because they are not age-appropriate for the child.

Avoid toys that shoot objects in the air — such as slingshots, dart guns or arrows — for children under 6, and closely supervise any child playing with such toys.  Also avoid toys with sharp edges.  If your older child plays with a chemistry set or woodworking tools, provide him or her with safety goggles.

For more information you can visit Prevent Blindness America.

References:

Bailey, Gretchyn. Toys and Eye Safety. Nov 2012.
Prevent Blindness America.  Dec 2012. 

Dr. Nersisyan is an optometrist at Wink Optometry