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Belleville, NJ – According to the American Academy
of Ophthalmology (AAO), more than 12 million children suffer from
vision impairment; and these vision problems affect one in 20 preschoolers
and one in four school-aged children.
To recognize August as Children’s Eye Health and Safety
Month, Clara Maass Medical Center (CMMC), an affiliate of the Saint
Barnabas Health Care System, and the AAO would like to share this
important information on how to keep your child’s eye safe
and healthy.
Infants should be screened for common eye problems during their
regular pediatric appointments and vision testing should be conducted
for all children starting at around three years of age. If there
is a family history of eye problems or if a problem is apparent,
speak to your eye doctor promptly about when and how often your
child’s eyes should be examined.
“Because vision changes can occur without you or your child
noticing them, regular eye screenings for your child are important,” said
Anthony Caputo, MD, Director of the Newark Eye and Ear Infirmary
and Children’s Eye Care Center of N.J., located on the CMMC
campus.
Some eye conditions that commonly affect children include amblyopia
(lazy eye), strabismus (crossed eyes), ptosis (drooping of the
upper eyelid), color deficiency (color blindness) and refractive
errors (nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism).
According to the AAO, eye injuries are one of the leading causes
of vision loss in children. “You also have to protect your
child’s eyes from the danger of eye injuries. Be sure that
the toys your child plays with are appropriate for his or her age
and maturity level. Avoid toys with sharp, protruding or projectile
parts,” said Dr. Caputo. “Also, because sports can
be dangerous to your child’s eyes, make sure he or she wears
appropriate protective eyewear.”
One of the best ways to ensure your child’s eye health and
safety is to set a good example for them by protecting your eyes.
For example, make sure that you yourself wear protective eyewear
when necessary and that you make regular visits with your eye doctor.
For more information about your child’s eye health and safety,
please call 1-888-SBHS-123
(1-888-724-7123) or visit www.aao.org.
Clara Maass Medical Center, an affiliate of the Saint Barnabas
Health Care System, provides a complete continuum of care to
residents of northern New Jersey. Clara Maass
Centers of medical excellence include the Women’s Health
Center, Nuclear Medicine, The Cancer Center at Clara Maass, Diagnostic
Cardiac Services including Cardiac Catheterization, Emergency
Angioplasty and Rehabilitation, The Pain Management Center, The
Joint & Spine Institute, a Vascular Center, Same Day Surgery,
The Wound Center at Clara Maass, The Center for Sleep Disorders,
The Bariatric Center at Clara Maass, Rehabilitation Services,
Maternity Services and Parent Education, as well as Pediatrics.
For a physician referral or more information about Clara Maass,
call 1-888-SBHS-123 or visit www.saintbarnabas.com.
Date: August 11, 2009
Contact: Cathy Toscano
973-450-2996
ctoscano@sbhcs.com
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