DISCLAIMER: This post is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding you or your baby’s health. Please read my Medical Disclaimer for more info
DISCLAIMER: This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may get a commission if you decide to purchase something through my links at no cost to you. Please read my Disclaimer for more info.
Almost all of our children have more screen time than any children have before. It has even become a huge way that our world and education systems work now! But with this, many of us are becoming concerned with our children’s visual health. So let’s figure out how we can help protect our children’s visual health!
What Are The Effects of Blue Light on Visual Health?
Although both adults and children should be concerned about their exposure to blue light from electronics, children are particularly susceptible to blue light’s harmful effects.
Children’s eyes have decreased lens density compared to adults. This means that, in children, more blue light can reach their retina and seriously affect the retina’s health and the child’s visual function.
In addition to this, many children aren’t getting enough healthy nutrients they need for optimal visual health and development, placing them at even higher risk for damage to their eyes.
But wait! I’m not telling you to avoid screen time altogether! As I mentioned above, screen time is a big part of our children’s education systems, and that’s not going to change. But let’s talk about what we do need to do for our kids to lower their risks or adversely affecting their visual health and development.
Lutein and Zeaxanthin for Visual Health
I know, I know, “What the heck are those?“
Lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoids that produce a yellow to reddish hue in fruits and vegetables.
Both are potent antioxidants and offer a range of health benefits. However, lutein and zeaxanthin are most famous for benefiting visual health.
Lutein and zeaxanthin protect photoreceptors by absorbing blue light and deactivating free radicals that can otherwise lead to oxidative stress, inflammation, and damage to the eyes.
Interestingly, studies also show that lutein and zeaxanthin are found in the brain and support learning and memory!
How Much Lutein and Zeaxanthin Should Children Get Daily?
Although there’s no official recommendation for intake of lutein and zeaxanthin at any age, based on knowledge of these nutrients in adult studies, children may need 3 to 6 mg of lutein and approximately 1 mg zeaxanthin daily.
And teenagers might benefit from adult levels of 10 mg of lutein and 2 mg of zeaxanthin daily. On average, children consume inadequate lutein and zeaxanthin because they don’t eat the suggested daily servings.
Food and Supplement Sources of Lutein and Zeaxanthin
Abundant lutein and zeaxanthin sources include brightly colored foods such as corn, mango, and honeydew in addition to dark, leafy green vegetables (like cooked kale, spinach, and collard greens).
And although relatively low in lutein, avocado and egg yolk are highly bioavailable lutein sources. Therefore they’re good candidates for meeting children’s carotenoid needs.
As for supplements, I give my daughter these eye care gummies along with her daily multivitamin gummy with probiotics.
I highly recommend these as most children’s lutein and zeaxanthin intake is often low. Plus, my daughter seriously looks forward to these two gummy vitamins every day!
Furthermore, these supplements also improve overall antioxidant status, which can offer excellent protection against stressors!
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DISCLAIMER: This post is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding you or your baby’s health. Please read my Medical Disclaimer for more info
DISCLAIMER: This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may get a commission if you decide to purchase something through my links at no cost to you. Please read my Disclaimer for more info.
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