EYE CARE FOR KIDS

Eye Care for Kids A Clear Path to Healthy Vision

The blurry distant vision of myopia is a worldwide epidemic. Nearsightedness has doubled in the U.S. since 1971 to 42 percent, and in by Ronica A. O’Hara some Asian countries it affects 90 percent of teens and adults, reports the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Eye doctors say the key time to pay attention is dur- ing childhood, because myopia and other eye and vision problems can be reversed or stabilized if addressed at an early age.

“Parents tend to assume that vision problems aren’t a concern for the young and healthy, but it’s never too early to promote healthful habits or to be on the lookout for potential vision issues,” advises ophthalmologist Sandy T. Feldman, M.D., medical director of the Clearview Eye & Laser Medical Center, in San Diego.

Ophthalmologists and optometrists recommend having a child’s eyes tested at 6 months, 3 years and 5 or 6 years to detect nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, “lazy eye” (amblyopia), crossed or misaligned eyes (strabismus) and other potential problems. “For signs of trouble, I ask parents if they have seen their child have an eye that wanders or if the child covers an eye regularly, they are rubbing their eyes or playing with their toys close to their face,” says optometrist Nathan Langemo, of the Hopkins Eye Clinic, in Hopkins, Minnesota.

If myopia becomes severe, it can lead to retinal detachment, premature cataracts and glaucoma in adulthood, but

early detection is possible. An Ohio State University study of 4,500 children found that myopia in eighth-graders could be predicted in the first grade by their eyeglass prescription. Children at age 6 are naturally slightly farsighted, and those with normal vision are more likely to become myopic later.

A common medical treatment to slow myopia in kids is daily use of 0.01 percent atropine eye drops, the medication used to dilate an eye before an exam. It slowed down nearsightedness by roughly 50 percent in Singapore children. A new, two-year study shows that combining the eye drops with nightly contact lens-wearing is 28 to 38 percent more effective. For preschoolers with amblyopia, an iPad game called Dig Rush was shown to be helpful in a University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center study. Hong Kong researchers report that 15 weeks of acupuncture beat out eye patches for treating children with lazy eyes, resolving the condition in 41 percent of cases, compared to 16 percent.

The simplest preventive strategy for myopia may be simply to shoo children outdoors every day, including involving them in outdoor sports. Researchers aren’t sure whether it’s the vitamin D effect or the fact that when they are outdoors kids focus more on distant objects like trees and balls than when reading a book or screen, but recent studies in Taiwan and Denmark have verified that more time outdoors is linked to less myopia. Even sitting in sunlight inside while reading or using full-spectrum light bulbs is protective, say researchers. When outdoors, “Make sure the child has 100 percent UVA and UVB sun protection for the eyes,” advises Langemo, including using UV contact lenses.

Evidence is mixed on whether closeup reading brings on childhood myopia, but a study of 500 college students that heavily used computers found 53 percent reporting headaches, 55 percent with burning sensations in the eyes and 48 percent with tired eyes. When kids focus on a computer, their eye-refreshing blinking rate slows from 10 to 12 times a minute to three or four times a minute, says optometrist Marc Grossman, of New Paltz, New York, author of Natural Eye Care: Your Guide To Healthy Vision and Healing.

He recommends taking breaks at least 10 minutes every hour, using homeopathic eye drops and gently massaging the eyes by moving fingers from the inner corner, around the upper socket and underneath, stopping about six times to massage each point for five to 10 seconds.

It’s also important to remove household hazards. Medical emergency rooms increasingly report eye injuries in kids from popular toy weapons like Nerf, BB guns and paintball guns, as well as colorful detergent pods that preschoolers love to squeeze or bite, plus aerosol spray from paint, hairspray, cleaning products and bug repellants.

Feeding children the right foods, including lots of vegetables, fruits and grains, also benefits their eyes. The omega-3s in fish oil, nuts and seeds help minimize dry eye, and leafy greens and eggs have the eye-protective antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin. Ronica A. O’Hara is a Denver-based health writer. Connect at OHaraRonica@gmail.com.

Beyond Itchy Sneaky Symptoms of Food Allergies in Pets

I’ll never forget the first time I met Duke, the itchy and miserable Papillon who was dealing with recurring—and painful—ear infections, itchy feet and inflamed (pink) belly. His owner had done everything her conventional veterinarian had told her to do. She dutifully treated each and every ear infection, and when it was suggested that Duke be put on a daily thyroid pill to reduce the ear infections, she obliged. As for the itchy feet and pink belly, she was told that some dogs are “just itchier” than others. She tried oatmeal baths, essential oils and more and got a bit of relief for her dear four-legged friend, but the poor guy still struggled.

Unfortunately, it was years before we met, and after we talked about all the issues with which Duke was dealing, his recurrent ear infections were pointing toward food allergies. Duke had eaten the same food for years; it never occurred to his mom or the previous veterinarian that might be the culprit. We also had to consider the rest of the ways Duke was getting potentially troublesome exposures. For dogs with possible grain allergies, oatmeal shampoos are grain-based and may actually be making things worse! Treats are another culprit; pet parents think “it’s just a tiny bite.” For a human child with shellfish allergies, that “tiny bite” can send the child to the hospital. It’s just the same for pets with food allergies—just one bite can send the body out of balance and bam, return of an ear infection.

Chewable supplements and medications can also contribute to suspected

food allergies. Many chewable pet products are beef-flavored or use pork. Beef, along with grain, is a very allergenic food, which means for the super-allergic, we also have to come up with alternative heartworm and flea and tick “preventatives” as many of these products are beef flavored. (In all cases, less is more—less chemicals is more beneficial, especially to the allergic pet.)

One more consideration we had to look at was the thyroid pill little Duke was taking. Thyroid medications are colored with dyes; the color identifies the size/dosage of the pill. The crazy thing about that dye is that it can cause itch and skin infections. In evaluating whether a dog has an

under-functioning thyroid, simply looking at T4 is not helpful (T4 is a marker for thyroid hormone, easily measured in the blood, therefore commonly reported in bloodwork) because anything that makes a dog feel bad will result in low T4

levels. Duke had ear infections, felt bad, and therefore his T4 was low. This is actually a normal, healthy response. His mom had a choice: get a full thyroid workup or consider discontinuation of the supplement. (Duke was not overweight and did not have a big belly, nor was his skin thin by Dr. Cathy Alinovi, Holistic Veterinarian

and he was not lethargic—all classic signs of low thyroid function.)

Duke’s mom and I also discussed allergy testing (many veterinarians offer blood testing to identify allergies); the blood test is only accurate for hay fever type allergies. It is NOT diagnostic for food allergies as it is only 50 percent accurate! That’s like throwing a dart at a board with foods on it to determine which foods the dog might be allergic to—it’s a waste of money. There is a fantastic saliva test that looks for food “sensitivities”; this test is much more helpful to determine which foods may be problematic for dogs and cats.

Once his mom understood all the possible ways Duke could be getting exposed to problem foods, she changed his diet from kibble to grain-free whole food, avoiding beef; he never again endured another ear infection, was able to come off of the thyroid pill, and his itchy feet… well, no longer itched!

Food allergies are often “treated” by veterinarians, temporarily alleviating the misery for our pets but not identifying the root (cause). For the veterinarian, this means future office visits and more prescriptions sold. But for our pets, it means recurring cycles of being itchy, congested and just plain miserable... not to mention the pet parent’s time spent en route to and from vet appointments, missed work, etc.

There is a more humane and convenient way to address any recurring symptoms such as runny noses, yeasty ears, ear infections, excessive licking, panting, congestion, chewing on their feet and more. Ask your holistic veterinarian to

talk with you more about food allergies or demand a saliva-based allergy

test. This will show what you must avoid in your dog’s food, helping you alleviate the cause of your pet’s symptoms permanently.

Dr. Cathy Alinovi, a solely holistic veterinarian, helps clients find only natural solutions to their pets’ needs. Healthy PAWsibilities Natural Pet Wellness Center is located at 628 Cleveland St., Ste. 17, Clearwater. For more information and appointments, call 727-510-3665, email Info@HealthyPawsibilities.com and/or visit HealthyPawsibilities.com. See ad right.