Vision is a blessing by birth but there are some stages that infants go through when it comes to vision. Just like how they learn how to walk and talk, vision is something they learn over time as well. There are a ton of different things we do without our consciousness. This is something that takes time for children to develop such as focusing on the eyes and moving them correctly also using them the right way to see normally. Therefore, all of this takes time and ability.
The child needs to have a look around before. This is so that they can learn in their own space and time. Moreover, it will also give them a better chance to view things around them. A sudden view of the world will scare the child and cause it harm. Therefore, you don’t need to worry about your child not being able to see things. Everything will happen with time. However, there are some elements you can do to ensure that your child is having normal growth.
Stage 1 From Birth to 4 Months Old
At birth, babies cannot see as well as older children. Their eyes and the visual systems have not been developed properly and it is an ongoing process. Hence, this is the stage where they will be able to see some improvements and this is also the stage where you will need to focus on your child and its habits. Here is what the process will look like from birth to up to 4 months. At birth, the vision of a baby is not clear. It has all different kinds of stimulation. They might not be able to see or tell the differences between 2 targets or pictures. The main goal of anything is to focus on an object that is 8 or 10 inches away from the face.
Therefore, during the first months of the baby, the eyes will start working together and they will coordinate with each other. This will then improve their sight. You will be able to notice this when your infant starts to track moving toys or objects with her or his eyes. Hence, he will use his visual skills to track down items and will try to get them. By the time the 8th week passes, your baby will be able to focus on the faces of parents as well as the people near them. For the first 2 months, you might think that your baby’s eyesight is crossed but in reality, they are just trying to coordinate.
Stage 2, Starting with 5 Months Till 8 Months
These are the months where you will be able to notice the differences in eye movement as well as body coordination. It is important to relate your eye movement to your body movement as well. One thing that is not present at birth is depth perception. This is when you can tell whether an item is further away from the other or not. Therefore, this comes along with time, and your child will not be able to know depth perception very well. However, it is a common belief that around the 5th month, eyes can work together and form a 3-dimensional view of the earth.
Hence, this adds to their vision because they will be able to see more clearly. Moreover, although an infant’s colour vision is still weak, it is not as great as an adult's. Moreover, it is said that babies have better colour vision when they are 5 months old. If your child does not, then there is nothing to worry about. You should wait a bit more time and see whether the colour visibility has developed or not. One way how babies develop coordination with their eyes and body is when they start crawling and this is usually during the 8th month. Therefore, it is said that those children who did not crawl a lot may not learn to use the best of their eyes as compared to those who crawled a lot.
Stage 3, 1 to 2 years
When a child is 2 years old, eye movement and coordination, as well as depth perception, have developed. Therefore, if you find anything odd at this stage then it would be best to take your child to the hospital. Children during these years play and engage in different activities as well as learning, writing, and reading. Therefore, there should not be much trouble seeing and viewing objects at this stage.
Here Are Some of the Common Vision and Eye Problems in Children
Some minor problems can be faced by children. However, usually, this is rare because the development of children is done accurately most of the time. Therefore, most babies have healthy eyes at the start and then as the years pass by, their abilities might decrease. This can happen due to several factors but, you need to look at some of these eye problems first.
Excessive Tearing
This shows the relation with tear ducts. There must be something wrong with the ducts which is why there must be excessive tearing.
Constant Eye Turning
Usually, the muscles near your eye have the best control of your eye movement. Therefore, if the eye movement is slow then there much be something wrong with the muscles near your eye or even your eye muscles.
The Appearance of a White Pupil
This is one of the most dangerous elements. You should always be on the lookout for this in your children. A white pupil will show eye cancer. Therefore, if you sense white in the pupil then you should head to the doctor immediately.
Extreme Sensitivity to Light
When your eyes are sensitive to light then this means that you have elevated pressure in the eye. There are some ways how you can reduce this but you will have to visit a doctor to ensure you are getting the right treatment.
Red or Encrusted Eyelids
This could be a sign of a normal eye infection.
How to Overcome These Problems:
The best way to overcome these problems is to go to a doctor. However, to ensure that your baby’s eyesight is healthy and the development taking place is going smoothly, there are some things you can do to make it healthier and stable.
When your child is 4 months old, the best thing to do is to use a nightlight or any other dim lamp. This will ensure that whenever your baby wakes up, it does not have to deal with the harsh light. This will affect the eyes negatively because it takes time for the eyes to adjust to the brightness. You can also keep the toys of your baby within its focus reach which will be about 8 to 12 inches.
When it comes to a baby that is 5 months to 8 months old then you can hang numerous objects across the crib so that your baby can grab them and pull them. This will develop his or her eye development as the baby will be able to see the toy. Usually, parents do not like to place their baby on the floor. However, this will benefit them as they will be able to explore more by looking around and playing with certain toys. You can also play games with your baby by moving the hands of your baby around. Hence, there are numerous things you can do to ensure your child is going through a proper development phase when it comes to vision.
Ensure the Best Diet From the Start
No matter what our age is, we are always on the lookout to ensure that our vision is the best by eating healthy. Therefore, parents should ensure that they are giving the best healthy food to their children. This will not only help them in their sight in the future but, it will make their learning process much faster and it will help in the development field too. Healthy eyes and good vision are important, especially during the stages of being an infant. If things are delayed then it can cause a hindrance to the development processes as well.
Moreover, you must notice the habits of your child from day 1. If you think there is something wrong or some things are not adding up then you can always seek help from a doctor. Not only will they tell you what you can do to improve the habit but, you will save your child from any struggles in the future. That is because the child will always repeat those habits that he adopted during his early days. It will be a struggle for the child as well as the parents to get rid of the habit if it is something bad. Therefore, ensure that your child is not doing any unusual activity that might bring a hindrance to their eyesight.
Final Words
After looking at all the concerns, it is a must that you take care of your child’s eyes from the early stages so that they don’t have any problems in the future. Moreover, you must know about the stages of eye development so that you can help your infant gain healthy eyesight.
