Children's Vision Month

D ave Shumsky, a doctor of optometry and the president and owner of Blink Eyecare, has seen it all. From squash to skiing, he says any sport has the potential to cause eye injuries. The amount of fear an eye injury creates is remarkable. It affects us on a high level," he says. "I usually see one or two professional athletes each year with injuries they need to take care of, and they're always worried about being able to see their children or grandchildren or drive — rather than wondering when they'll be able to get back to their sport, which you often see with other injuries." Shumsky, who's the doctor of optometry for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and who previously worked with the Edmonton Oilers and Edmonton Eskimos when he lived in Alberta, is considered a local expert when it comes to eye protection for athletes. He says taking preventative action is the best way to avoid sports-related eye injuries. "Proper eye protection is something we really pay close attention to. There are many different styles of eye shields. You want to make sure you have one your child is comfortable with and that doesn't affect performance," Shumsky explains. "There are a wide variety of fit-under sports glasses that can slide under a helmet a whole lot easier than regular glasses." Shumsky and his colleagues are hoping to help create a culture where everyone wears eye protection while playing sports. "One that really affects us as Canadians is hockey — you have pucks, sticks and errant elbows. Thankfully, it's mandatory for amateur players to wear some sort of mask or visor," he says. "But the kids look up to the professional players, and when they see them not wearing eye protection, it gives the wrong impression." Often injuries occur when children play outside of official leagues and teams, he adds. "When kids go out and play with their buddies, they can do what they want and sometimes they forget to wear eye protection. Parents can help by making sure the consistency is there, that their children always have that eye protection with them." While some children can wear their regular glasses under a visor or goggles, or can manage without their glasses, contact lenses can be an option, depending on the reliability of the child, says Shumsky. Wearing contact lenses, the child athlete can wear a regular visor or goggles to protect their eyes. "Some of my worst contact lens wearers are adults. I'm never shy about fitting children with contacts if they're mature and responsible enough," he says. "If they're motivated and can commit to using contact lens correctly, I'm happy to prescribe them. I'd hate to hear someone missed out on their big passion in life because they were restricted by their eyewear." He says it's a myth you need to be a certain age to wear contacts. He's fitted a six-month old in the past. "Obviously in that case her parents were taking care of things and there were special circumstances, but you need good habits to wear contact lenses safely," he says. "I assess each patient individually, and decide by their responsibility level. They need to establish a good and healthy routine." If the worst should happen and an eye injury occurs, Shumsky recommends taking your child to see a specialist immediately. "Prompt and swift care after an eye injury is important. Don't even hesitate. Try to see an urgent-care specialist or optometrist the same day," he says. "Any sudden issues or changes in sight should be seen within 24 or 48 hours. Any sort of change in vision or irritation, any pain in the eye or redness — you want to get in to see someone right away." Manitoba Health pays for urgent eye care. If your child is injured during evenings or weekends, Shumsky recommends Misericordia Health Centre's Urgent Care Centre, which offers eye care after hours. "It's good to be aware of what to do when things go wrong," he says. "Most of the sports injuries I see are the result of flukes. Any sport can potentially cause an eye injury." Don't let sport injury blight your sight BY HOLLI MONCRIEFF Whether you're a professional athlete or a little kid playing kickball, an eye injury is terrifying. Vision is the first key to a child's learning and development; 85% of learning is acquired through vision. Children who are born blind or experience significant vision loss at a young age cannot process information in the same way as a sighted child. CNIB's Early Intervention program is designed to address the developmental needs of infants and children who are blind or partially sighted. To make a donation or learn more, visit cnib.ca or call the toll-free CNIB Helpline at 1-800-563-2642. Dr. Reiss, Dr. Mundle, Dr. Mestito-Dao, Dr. Chow, Dr. Melo, Dr. Zimmer Optometrists Our Clinic features state of the art instrumentation & products to serve all your eye care needs. Helping Your Child See Better Over 80% of what your child learns in school is presented visually. This places special emphasis on eyecare for children, as without it, children can experience challenges learning & growing in school and at home. At Henderson Vision Centre, we provide comprehensive children's eye health exams, in a supportive & comfortable environment, ensuring your child's vision is at its best. Every child needs a comprehensive eye exam regularly Our new oculus Keratograph will allow us to create a plan specifically for your needs to treat this chronic condition. Dry Eye Clinics Over 1200 frames including the latest designer eyewear & sunglasses. We also offer the latest in Free Form lens technology. Optical Boutique In stock trial & retail contact lenses mean you can try them & take them home today! Contact Lens Department Open Thursday evenings & Saturday. Convenient Hours Accepting New Patients Phone: 204.582.2308 | Fax: 204.339.1272 Unit 1B - 1439 Henderson Hwy, Winnipeg, MB R2G 1N3 Hendersonvision.com PAG E 6 VISION MONTH

• Cover