Ten key activities to promote healthy eyes in children
Control of general health conditions which can also lead to visual loss
Vitamin A deficiency
1. Give vitamin A supplements to children routinely
2. Give vitamin A supplements to mothers after delivery
3. Promote breastfeeding and good nutrition
Measles
4. Give vitamin A supplements to children with measles or malnutrition
5. Immunise children against measles
Control of eye conditions
Conjunctivitis of the newborn (ophthalmia neonatorum)
6. Clean the eyes of all babies at delivery and apply antibiotic eye drops or
eye ointment
Read more about Trachoma
7. Keep children’s faces clean
Cataract
8. Refer children with poor vision or white pupils to an eye worker
Traditional eye remedies
9. Avoid the use of traditional eye medicines
Trauma
10. Refer children with a history of injury to an eye worker