Looking After Your Eyes

The Human Eye
Your eyes are a pretty amazing body part cuz they help you see, read and get out of the way of that oncoming skateboarder! But, do you know how the eyes work, or why some kids have to wear glasses? Kidzworld has all the facts about your eyes!
Eyes - How Your Eyes Work
The human eye is about the size of a
ping pong ball, with a bulge at the front. It is mainly comprised of the
cornea, iris,
pupil, lens, retina and
optic nerve! Each part plays an important role in how an
image is transferred to your brain. When you look at something,
light reflects off of the object and enters your eye
through the pupil (the black dot in the middle of the eye). The
iris (the colored part around the pupil) controls
how much light goes through the pupil. If it's dark, the iris' muscles will make the pupil
dilate (get bigger) to let in more light. If it's bright, the pupil will
constrict (get smaller) to let in less light. The light then enters the
lens (similar to a
camera lens), which focuses the picture onto the
retina at the back of your eyeball. The retina changes the light
into a message and sends it down the optic nerve to
the brain.
Eyes - When the World Is a Blur
Did you know that
you're born farsighted with a vision of 20/400? That means you can only see the big "E" on an eye chart! By the age of two, your vision improves to
20/20 so that you're able to see the smallest
letters on the bottom of
the chart. But as you get older, your vision can go from clear to
blurry - and it has nothing to do with those eye crusties you wake up with. It's usually cuz of
genetics, so if
your mom or dad has vision problems, chances are high that you will too. If you find yourself
squinting to see things clearly or you're bringing your
book a lot closer to your nose than you did before, then you probably need corrective
eyewear, like
glasses or
contact lenses, to help you see properly.
Eyes - Near, Far, Wherever You Are...
If you can only read things that are close to you, you're
nearsighted. But if things are
crystal clear when they're far away, you're
farsighted. Wearing glasses or contacts can correct both of these vision problems. If
you're having problems with your eyesight, make an appointment with an
eye doctor (ophthalmologist or optometrist) to get a
vision test. You should see your eye
doctor at least once a year to maintain good eyesight.
Eyes - Did U Know?
One in four kids aged 5-12 have vision problems in the US.
Having 20/20 vision means you can see an object clearly from 20 feet away.
Carrots, milk and cheese are good for your eyes cuz they're full of vitamin A, which helps you see at night.
Eye Safety Awareness Week is observed from June 27-July 5, 2007. It's a time to remind peeps about the importance of taking care of your eyes.
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More Health and Body Info!
Read more: Health & Body