Do I Need Glasses? Do My Kids? How Can I Tell If My Baby Sees Well?
Hello fellow parents. I’m a first time mom myself to a 5 month old baby boy. Like all first time parents, I too have a lot of questions regarding different aspects of my little one’s well-being and growth development. These little human beings are changing so fast every day, and as parents we are constantly trying to ensure we are doing the best we can for them. I’m sure at some point, we wondered how well can my baby see?
Here are some milestones to look out for:
Baby milestones chart for vision
| Birth | At birth, baby’s vision is very premature. Babies can only see black and white and shades of grey. Within a few short weeks, they start to see color. They have poor focus and the eyes may not work together as a team. Their focus is about 8 to 10 inches, the natural distance baby is held from parents when feeding. |
| 3 months | Significant development occurs. Eye muscles are stronger and work better as a team. Babies can track moving objects, reach for objects in front of them and recognize familiar faces. |
| 6 months | Visual acuity and color have almost fully developed, similar to that of an adult. As eyes are working better as a team, depth perception improves, allowing for greater eye body coordination. |
| 12 months | Most babies are crawling and starting to walk. They are better at judging distances, and more accurate in grasping and throwing objects. Crawling actually helps develop better eye-hand coordination and gross motor skills. |
As 80% of learning comes from vision, we need to ensure our children have healthy eyes and see well. Any undetected vision problems in infants can cause developmental delays. Therefore, early detection is the key to success.
Signs of early vision problems
- Constant eye turning
- Excessive tearing
- White pupil
- Extreme sensitivity to light
Quick Tips:
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Constantly stimulate your child’s vision through age appropriate activities.
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Watch for early signs of eye and vision problems
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Take your child to see an Optometrist between 6 to 12 months
As every child developments differently, whenever in doubt seek professional help. Our little ones do not know the difference between normal and abnormal vision, and certainly cannot verbalize any concerns.
Brenda is an optometrist and owner of Davisville Eye Care. She works with patients of all ages, starting as young as 6 months of age. As a new mom herself, Brenda is looking forward to sharing her personal experiences and professional expertise with fellow parents regarding children’s vision development.
