December is truly a time to celebrate and enjoy being with your loved ones. It’s also the month of Safe Toys and Celebrations. To help ensure the safety of your children during this season, your pediatric eye doctor from Park Slope Eye shares these child eye safety tips.
As a parent, it’s a natural tendency to give your children toys as gifts. While many toys make great gifts, remember to be mindful of the gifts you choose, paying attention to all aspects and components of them, from the gift wrapping to the gift itself. To simplify the selection process, here are the toys you should avoid buying, regardless of the season or occasion.
Toy Guns
Toy guns that shoot projectiles, whether or not they’re made of soft materials, pose a serious risk of eye injuries. Given the proper speed and distance, these projectiles can even damage your child’s eyeglasses. For your peace of mind, it’s best to stay away from water guns, as well.
Sharp, Pointy Toys
Certain toys such as pretend fishing poles may seem harmless enough, but they can cause serious eye injuries. Anything that has a sharp, pointy end is a potential cause of eye injury.
Toys With Chemicals
Aerosol strings, more commonly known as party strings, contain certain substances that may cause chemical burns to your child’s eyes, especially when sprayed at close range.
Finding Alternatives
Toys are an integral part of childhood. While your kids’ safety is a priority, it’s equally important to let them explore and enjoy themselves with toys. Bearing this in mind, try to choose age-appropriate toys that will stimulate their visual development rather than impair it. To this end, building blocks and storybooks are among the safest and most educational toys you can give your kids.
At Park Slope Eye, we treat every single one of our patients like family. We provide quality eye care all year round, including dry eye treatment services. Call us at (347) 380-7070 to schedule a visit. We work with patients in Brooklyn, NY.
