Your eyes are really precious so it is important to look after them.
You use your eyes all the time (except when you're asleep!) so it makes sense to look after them no matter what you're doing. Here are some handy tips:
Eat well
You have probably heard the one about carrots helping you to see at night. Actually, although your eyes do need enough Vitamin A (which you can get from carrots), eating lots and lots of carrots won't make your vision any better. You can help to keep your eyes healthy by eating a diet that's good for your whole body - that's lots of "everyday" foods including a wide range of vegetables and fruits, grain-based foods like rice, pasta and noodles; lean meats and low-fat dairy products.
Sun Protection
Just like your skin, it's a good idea to protect your eyes from the sun, particularly in the middle of the day (between 10 am and 3 pm) when the sun is the strongest. You can play in the shade during lunchtime or wear a hat with a wide brim to help shade your eyes as well as your face. You can also wear sunglasses to protect your eyes too.
Playing safe - inside
When you're doing inside activities, watch out for objects like scissors or things with sharp edges. Never run with them or throw them. If your teacher or parents tell you to put on safety goggles to do an activity, make sure you wear them the whole time you're doing the activity. It's also important to take care with how you handle animals like cats and dogs, because they can scratch if they get scared. Make sure you keep them well away from your face.
Playing safe - outside
Playing sport and being active is great for your body and heaps of fun as well. But if you're playing sports, particularly if balls are flying around, you need to play by the rules and play safe so that people won't get hurt. If your teacher tells you to wear safety gear like a helmet or goggles, make sure you do.
What to do is someone gets hurt
Accidents can happen and if anyone does gets hit in the eye (or hurt in any other way) you really need to let the person who is looking after you (your teacher, parent, or carer) know right away and tell them exactly what happened.
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