How To Monitor Infant Vision Development?
Your child is precious to you, and you are right in wondering whether your little one’s eyesight is developing well.
Just like how a baby learns to talk and walk within a specific period of growth and development, she also learns to see better and move the eyes accurately and focus them when needed.
Baby Vision Development – At Birth:
Usually, soon after delivery, your baby’s eyes will be checked by your doctor, to detect congenital cataracts or other neonatal eye problems. Early detection of these rare problems can make their treatment simple and convenient.
- The development of vision starts in the womb itself, however, it takes time for babies to develop a good eyesight.
- To prevent any possible eye infection arising due to exposure of bacteria from the birth canal, antibiotic eye drops may be applied.
- At birth, your baby can view objects only in shades of gray, and black and white. This is because the nerve cells in the brain and the eye are yet to develop correctly.
- Newborn babies do not have the ability to focus on nearby objects at this tender age, so don’t be worried if you notice this.
Vision Development – In The Initial Months:
During the first few months of life, your baby’s eyes are very delicate and sensitive to light, so make sure you don’t expose carrying your baby in very bright areas.
- At around one week after birth, your baby can start to see the colors red, green, yellow and orange, and after a while, he can also start to see blue and violet colors.
- In the 2nd and 3rd month, your baby’s eyes develop rapidly. Your baby will start to demonstrate sharper visual activity during this period.
- Your baby will now know how to shift his or her gaze from one area to another before moving the head.
- Surprisingly, the eyes are also becoming even more sensitive to light, so make sure you dim the lights in your baby’s room before he gets to sleep.
- To stimulate visual development in your darling, frequently change the location of the crib or if your baby sleeps with you change sides in the bed. Keep talking to your baby and pointing out to different objects here and there, to draw his or her attention.
Vision Development – Before 6 Months Of Age:
Between 3-6 months of age, several significant advancements take place in your baby’s eyes. At birth, the visual activity was around 20/400, but now, it is around 20/25. Here are a few other ‘visual’ milestones that are achieved during this time:
- Your child can now distinctly identify and follow moving objects, and will move his eyes quicker in response to any movement.
- The ability to distinguish between colors improves dramatically, almost as much as an adult’s; now, your baby can view all colors of the rainbow.
- His hand-eye coordination also improves, and your baby can accurately detect and locate objects.
When To Go For An Eye Checkup For Your Baby?
As your baby reaches six months of age, it is a good idea to take him for a general consultation at an ophthalmologist’s, to see if everything is alright with his vision development. The physician will perform certain tests to detect conditions like nearsightedness, astigmatism and farsightedness.
At birth, a baby’s eyes are almost 65% of the size of what it will be in adulthood. Keep track of the changes in your baby’s vision, as the months progress. It will be helpful in early detection of any problem, which may make treatment easier and convenient.
We hope our approach helps you deal effectively with your newborn baby vision development. Do share your views and experiences with us.
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