Choosing the Right Toys to Protect Your Child’s Vision
Whether you are shopping for a birthday present or you are getting ahead of your Christmas shopping, it is important to consider the safety of the toys that you buy for your children. Parents don’t often think about protecting their child from eye injury until it is too late.
Each year, thousands of children are injured because of toys that cause harm to the eyes. Toys that seem harmless could result in serious eye injury, which could even lead to blindness in some situations.
Before You Make the Purchase
Instead of assuming that every toy is safe for your child, it is important that you do a little research to make sure that you are choosing safe options. Look closely at the box and the warning labels. Sometimes, instructions will give details about avoiding injury.
Take a moment to read the age range for the toy. Purchasing a toy designed for older children could potentially cause harm to your younger child. Also, consider the individual skills and ability of your child. The suggested age range is based on general skill sets for children of that age. If your child needs a little more practice with certain skills, then you might wait to buy the toy even if the age range matches.
Look at the shape of the toy: are there any sharp areas or pieces that could cause damage to the eye? Consider what will happen if the toy is broken, because sometimes an injury could happen after an accident occurs.
American Society for Testing and Materials
Did you know that there are programs in place to ensure the quality and safety of the products that are sold in the stores? The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), can put their stamp of approval on the toys that are sold. Look on the packaging for the ASTM acronym to know that the toy was tested for quality and safety.
If the acronym is on the package, then it means that the product is in line with the national safety standards.
Use Good Judgement
As the parent, you know what is best for your child. Pay attention to the way your child plays with their toys and don’t be afraid to monitor their time to protect your family. Also, be sure that you keep the toys separate so that the younger children don’t have access to toys designed for older children.
For example, even something seemingly harmless like an airsoft gun could be dangerous for younger children. If the gun is aimed in the wrong direction and it hits the eye, then it could potentially cause damage.
It is impossible to avoid all of the potential accidents that could happen. But, taking a proactive approach with your child’s toys means that you will be able to reduce the risk of an eye injury. Also, it is important to care for your child’s eye health by taking them in for regular eye exams. Contact Village Eyecare to set up an exam with an optometrist in Chicago.