Support Your Child's Eyesight
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It was my violin teacher who noticed that I was shortsighted. He reported to my parents that I was craning my neck to read music. This led to a visit to the eye doctor, a pair of pink-framed NHS glasses and a lot of teasing about “four-eyes.” But now I could read music and see the leaves on the trees.
My Dad was very careful about protecting our eyes, providing angle-poise lamps for reading. I’m sure my myopia was genetic, as it is for many children. But in a world of screens, we are seeing an epidemic of myopia in children. Although being shortsighted and needing glasses may not seem to be such a bad thing, myopia can lead to serious eye conditions later in life, including glaucoma, cataracts, and retinal detachment.
If your child or grandchild is blinking a lot, rubbing their eyes or complaining of headaches, it’s important to take them for an eye test. Wearing glasses when needed will help protect their eyesight.
So how can we prevent children developing myopia in the first place, or limit the extent of myopia in children who have a genetic tendency to it? In Ayurveda, we like to recommend fresh air and sunlight to prevent or mitigate health conditions. This applies to children’s eyesight as well. As a child I was a famous bookworm—I even dressed up as a bookworm for a fancy dress parade. But my elders were always chasing me outside to play in the garden and climb the apple tree. And they were right. Children need a minimum of an hour a day of outdoor playtime to protect their eyes.
When your child is indoors, reading, writing or using the computer, be sure that the lighting in the room is really good, to prevent eyestrain. The eyes are governed by pitta. And the pitta in your eyes has not evolved to deal with screens. The very best way to protect your child’s eyesight is to limit screen time. Keep your children under five away from screens and limit screen time for older children.
Herbs like licorice root, chrysanthemum and rose are beneficial for the pitta in the eyes. A lavender eye pillow can also help calm the eyes. But daylight, going outdoors and running around, limiting close work and cutting back on screen time are by far the most important ways to protect the pitta in the eyes and provide a lifetime of good eyesight.
Alakananda Ma M.B., B.S. (Lond.) is an Ayurvedic Doctor (NAMA) and graduate of a top London medical school. She is co-founder of Alandi Ayurveda Clinic and Alandi Ayurveda Gurukula in Boulder Colorado, as well as a spiritual mother, teacher, flower essence maker and storyteller. Alakananda is a well known and highly respected practitioner in the Ayurveda community both nationally and internationally.
Enliven your holistic health! Visit Alakananda Ma in Alandi Ashram’s ayurvedic clinic to support the overall rejuvenation of your body, mind, and spirit. In-person and virtual appointments available. Book now!
