Your Baby's Eyesight

The last couple days I have really noticed a difference in how far, how much, and how well my 2 month old sees. It is so amazing to have a first hand account of what is happening with her sight and learning about it as she matures. Sight is such a special thing and I definitely cherish mine. I want to make sure I am encouraging and assisting with my daughter's developing eyes and provide as much possible motivation to help her along her journey into sight.

When a baby is born, they can see about 6 inches in front of them and aren't seeing much color - most things register as black and white. If you imagine a vision chart, they are able to see the equivalent of the big "E." Don't be alarmed if baby seems to be cross-eyed at times. This is completely normal as baby's eyes are working on focusing. As the months pass, baby's eyesight adjusts to seeing in color and also begins to help baby see others around it - such as smiling parents!

At about 3 months, most babies start smiling in response to their parents and even inanimate objects around them. My little one enjoys smiling at her favorite blue octopus, which has a ridiculous smiling face on it. They also start registering colors, especially reds. Lots of baby mobiles are often black, white, and red because of this. Within a month or so they will see orange, green, yellow, and blue.

Around 4 months baby's eyes are starting to see in three - dimension. By 6 months, baby's vision is improving and baby will fixate on objects and watch them move. You are used to baby staring at you, but they might focus on something across the room and follow it for long lengths of time. Your baby is getting closer to having 20/20 vision!

Over the next 6 months, baby's vision will continue to grow and expand until around 1 year of age; baby's eyesight is comparable to an adult. During this time, babies also begin crawling, standing, and even walking and vision helps aid in all of these functions. Your pediatrician might suggest a general eye exam at this time to check eyesight development.

It is challenging to assess issues with infant eyesight, but if you have any concerns, make sure to talk with your pediatrician. It is normal for baby to seem cross-eyed for a few months. Many times infants will also have lots of excretion from their tear ducts. My daughter has "goopy eyes" and it is part of our morning routine to wipe away the gunk around her eyes. In time, as the baby grows, the goopy eyes go away on their own. Talk with your pediatrician if your baby's eyes are still crossing after 5 months or you feel they aren't following normal vision development milestones. If you are concerned about your baby's vision, they are never too young to be evaluated.

Make sure to do things everyday to encourage your baby's eyesight such as playing face to face with baby, using bright toys around her, and moving objects within line of sight to encourage her focusing skills. This is a special time with baby, so enjoy every minute of it!

Source:

http://www.babyzone.com/baby_toddler_preschooler_health/vision_hearing/article/vision-infants-young-children-pg4