Teen Eye Health: 13 to 18 Years of Age

For many teens, it’s common to not feel concerned about eye health; If you’re already in good health, it’s easy to believe you’ll always feel healthy and benefit from optimum vision.

But did you know, as a teen, your vision is still developing?

Even if you benefit from perfect 20/20 vision, your eyes are relying on you to take good care of them and protect them against injury or infection.

If you wear contacts, glasses or live with any vision issue – no matter how big or small – you’re already a little ahead of the curve, as you already know the importance of eye care and taking preventive health measures during your teenage years.

If you’re a parent reading this, you know that your teen’s vision is vital in supporting their living and learning needs since it is one of their most important senses. The teen years are a crucial time period to ensure your child is taking care of their vision.

Use this page to better understand teen eye health and the measures you can take – as a teen or parent – to ensure the eyes are being properly cared for.

View our comprehensive pediatric healthy eye exam service and schedule an annual eye exam today, or learn about our effective corrective optometric vision therapy programs:


Common Teen Eye Conditions

13-18 years old

The body is rapidly changing during the teenage years. Between the ages of 13 and 18 (on average), unique vision issues can develop, which are commonly linked to development during puberty.

Some of the most common teen eye issues include:

 

It’s important to note that any vision condition that a teen is contending with can be assessed and diagnosed during a quick, painless and comprehensive pediatric eye exam. From there, an effective and personalized treatment or prescription can be given to help achieve clear, comfortable vision.

To add to these eye conditions, poor nutrition can hurt a teen’s eyesight and cause unnecessary issues or worsen an already present eye condition. Read more about foods for teen eye health below.

If you think you’re dealing with digital eye strain from looking at blue-light emitting devices for too long, read how looking at screens all day affects eyesight:


Young boy putting in contact lens for kids

How to Maintain Good Eyesight as a Teen

Need an overly simple reason to maintain healthy vision? You’ll need (and want) clear, comfortable vision for every activity you engage in.

From the classroom to the ball field, to driving and hanging out with friends, taking a few simple steps each day to ensure you’re protecting your vision and giving your eyes vital nutrients to thrive is a great way to keep great vision for many years to come.

Here are specific foods for teen eye health and eye health tips to consider to maintain good eyesight as a teen:


Everyday Teen Eye Health Tips

To ensure your vision remains comfortable and your eyes continue to support your needs, follow these everyday teen eye care tips:

Eat nutrient rich foods
A healthy, balanced diet that contains variety and a vast selection of fruits, nuts, vegetables, and foods rich in antioxidants and essential fatty acids is essential for healthy eyes.

Avoid junk food
A diet high in fat and junk/processed food can cause deposits that constrict blood flow in the arteries. Our eyes are sensitive to this because the blood vessels that feed the eyes are already small in size and suffer with additional constriction.

Exercise to improve blood circulation
When blood circulation is increased, oxygen levels to the eyes are improved and more toxins are removed.

Get appropriate amounts of sleep
Good sleep benefits everything from mood to overall health. Despite your busy schedule as a teen, it’s vital to prioritize adequate and consistent sleep each night, as this will support eye health.

Wash your hands
Clean hands are vital for overall eye health – especially if you’re a contact lens wearer. Touching your eyes with dirty hands can transfer dirt, germs and bacteria onto your eye’s surface – allowing you to catch anything from the common cold to bacterial conjunctivitis (pink eye).

Be cautious and safe with makeup and hairspray
It’s always best practice to ensure your eyes are safe when applying makeup and hairspray. Additionally:

  • Put contact lenses in after you use your hairspray.
  • Put contact lenses in before applying make-up to avoid contaminating the lenses with residue from makeup on your fingers.
  • Use caution when applying lotions, powders and gels with bits of glitter in them. Try not to apply too close to the eyes and always wash the glitter off your hands right away.

Be mindful when using digital devices
It’s common for teens to look at a digital screen for hours on end – whether that be the computer, phone, TV, etc. – for anything from homework to relaxation. Too much digital screen use can take a toll on the eyes and cause them to feel dry and gritty. When digital screen use is a must, consider these safe use habits:

  • Adjust lighting on your screen to minimize glare.
  • Blink frequently.
  • Take a break every 20 minutes to focus on an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
  • Keep your computer screen within 20″-24″ of your eyes.
  • Use blue-light blocking glasses.

Wear protective eyewear when necessary
If you wear glasses or contacts, consider wearing sport-specific eyewear
to defend against eye injuries while simultaneously helping performance by improving visual clarity.

If you’re using power tools or simply going outside, be sure to use appropriate protective eyewear as well, such as safety goggles/glasses and UV-protected sunglasses.

Get an annual eye exam from an optometrist
The best care and protection for your vision is through regular, professional eye exams by an optometrist. Annual exams can significantly help you care for your eyes and detect any lurking issues you may be unaware of – like a family history of eye disease.


Foods & Vitamins for Teen Eye Health

Sustaining a balanced and healthy diet plays a critical role in maintaining healthy vision. Establishing good eating habits as a teenager will help your eyes thrive and may help decrease your risk of serious eye conditions later in life, including cataracts, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.

The following foods and vitamins/nutrients play a big role in good vision and are important components to a teen’s diet:

  • Vitamin A
    • Beef liver
    • Chicken liver
    • Cod liver oil
    • Milk
    • Eggs
    • Colorful fruits and vegetables that contain pro-vitamin A carotenoids
  • Carotenoids
    • Kale
    • Spinach
    • Leaf lettuce
    • Carrots
    • Bell peppers
    • Tomatoes
    • Tomato juice
    • Sweet potatoes
    • Broccoli
    • Squash
    • Watermelon
    • Pink grapefruit
    • Apricots
  • Vitamin C
    • Oranges
    • Orange juice
    • Red and green bell peppers
    • Grapefruit
    • Strawberries
    • Broccoli
    • Kale
  • Vitamin E
    • Sunflower seeds
    • Almonds
    • Hazelnuts
    • Peanut butter
    • Spinach
    • Avocados
    • Olive oil
    • Whole grains
  • Bioflavonoids
    • Berries
    • Grapes
    • Apples
    • Oranges
    • Grapefruit
    • Yellow onions
    • Soy foods
    • Legumes
    • Teas
    • Dark chocolate

It’s vital to only take/eat the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for teens for each of these nutrients, as too much of these key nutrients can be harmful.

When you visit iCare Vision for your annual eye exam, we can discuss the importance of a healthy, balanced diet and review the RDA.


Proper Teen Eyewear

A teen’s life is jam-packed. From driving to school work, to working at a job, exercising, playing sports, or spending time on a favorite hobby, the eyes need protection through it all. Eyewear may be necessary to give the eyes the support and protection they deserve.

Depending on the activity, a teen’s eyes may need:

Eyeglasses
Think you need eyeglasses? Learn about iCare’s eye exams & fittings for eyeglasses:

Contacts
Are you wondering when you can start wearing contact lenses? Learn when it might be the right time to switch from glasses to contacts as a teenager:

Want to talk to the doctors at iCare about making the switch? Learn about our contact lens exams & fittings:

Specialty Eyewear
Do you wear glasses but need different ones for different occasions – like a job or hobby? Learn about specialty eyewear, like work and hobby eyewear, sports glasses, safety glasses, and more:

Computer/blue light blocking glasses
While we understand that looking at screens all day may be unavoidable as a student, these blue-light emitting devices are affecting your eyesight. Learn ways to reduce this problem, including computer eye strain glasses:

Sunglasses
Protecting your eyes from the sun is critical. Discover six things you need to consider as you select the right pair of sunglasses:

Specialty eyewear and sunglasses can be made with prescription or nonprescription lenses, so your eyes will continue to receive what they need to deliver clear vision.

Come see us so we can help you find the right specialty eyeglasses for the different occasion(s) in your life:


How Often Should Teens Schedule an Eye Exam?

It is recommended that teens ages 13 to 18 years of age have a comprehensive eye exam at least every two years if no vision correction is required.

Teens who need eyeglasses or contact lenses should be examined annually or as recommended by your eye doctor.

The iCare Vision Team Takes the Best Care of Teens’ Eyes to Ensure Healthy Vision

As a teen, you should know your eyes deserve the best and that your future vision depends on how you treat and nurture it today.

As a parent to a teen, we know you’re your child’s biggest advocate – especially when it comes to their health.

Let us help you take the best care of your eyes today and every day.

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