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« Back to Specialties page Childhood Vision Good vision develops early in life. Vision does not develop exactly on the same schedule in all infants, but the overall pattern of development is the same. Because visual development is so rapid during the first year, early detection of visual problems is critical so that permanent visual impairment does not occur. At birth, babies have not yet attained normal adult vision - but they can see. Newborns can make out large shapes and faces but are unable to distinguish fine details. Because the visual system is immature, your baby probably cannot distinguish between pastel colors or subtle variations in shading, but can see bright, strong colors in contrasting patterns of light and dark. During the first year, your baby's visual development is very dramatic. Vision usually develops rapidly so that by the age of 3-4 months, most infants can see small objects. Some babies can distinguish between various colors (especially red and green) by this time. They can focus clearly on close and distant objects and can distinguish a real human face from one that is drawn. By 4 months, your baby's eyes should be well aligned (working together) to give the perception of depth or binocular vision. By 12 months, a child's vision reaches normal adult levels. Eye Exams Vision develops fully in most babies with little or no special attention. Although eye problems are rare, the majority can be treated if detected at an early age. Your baby's doctor (pediatrician or family physician) will examine his or her eyes shortly after birth as part of the newborn exam, and later during regular checkups. If the doctor detects problems, your baby will be referred to a pediatric ophthalmologist. Regular eye exams at proper age intervals are the key to maintaining your child's healthy vision. The earlier the visual problems are detected the better the outcome. The American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that children be examined in four stages: Newborn Nursery: Pediatricians and ophthalmic practitioners should examine all infants prior to their discharge from the nursery to check for infections and structural defects, cataracts, or glaucoma. All children with multiple medical problems or with a history of prematurity and/or oxygen exposure should be examined by an ophthalmologist. Six Months: Pediatricians should screen infants at the time of their well-baby visits to check for alignment. Three Years: All children should be examined by a pediatrician. At this age, the visual acuity is checked and the eyes are examined for any other abnormality that may cause a problem with the child's educational development. Any abnormality requires referral to an ophthalmologist. Five-Year: Pediatricians should examine children annually if this is not provided by school perennial or volunteer organizations. Visual acuity is tested as well as evaluation of other ocular functions. What To Look For If your baby can't make steady eye contact by 2-3 months of age, or seems unable to see, you should consult your pediatrician. A constant crossing of the eyes or one eye that turns out is usually abnormal; however, most babies do occasionally cross their eyes during their first 6 months of life. Babies older than 3 months of age can usually follow or "track" an object with their eyes as it moves across their field of vision. Tracking Test: Hold a colored object, like a toy or a ball, in front of your baby until he or she can see it. Then slowly move the object and watch as your baby's eyes follow. Be careful to avoid clues aided by voices or other sounds. If you spot any one of the following, consult your pediatrician: · Poor eye contact or rapid, unsteady eye movements · Persistent tearing or watering of one or both eyes · Severe sensitivity to bright light · Different shape or appearance of the eyes · White spot in the pupil of the eye · Unusual reflex in the eye · Crossing or wandering eyes · Redness in either eye that doesn't go away in several days · Continued pus or crust in either eye · Your child often squints · Your child often tilts or turns his or her head · The eyelid(s) appears to droop · The eye(s) appears to bulge « Back to Specialties page |
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