When you bring your baby into the world, you may not realize that that little bundle can’t actually see the world as you see it. In fact, their vision only allows them to see less than a foot away from their bodies. As they develop, so does their visual capabilities. It is important to know developmental milestones for your baby’s vision so that you can continually monitor their progress as they grow. As an optometrist in Orlando, our eye doctors at Eyes of Winter Park work with clients to diagnose vision problems in people of all ages. Before you bring your infant in to be checked out, it is important to know what your infant can actually see during their first year of life.
At Birth
When babies are first born, they are not able to tell the difference between two different images. In fact, they can only see objects that are within eight to fifteen inches of their face. Babies will prefer to look at shapes with dark borders, because they have yet to distinguish between any colors yet. Your infant’s eyes will not be well-coordinated and may even appear cross-eyed as they attempt to focus or they wander. This is normal. For the first two months of a baby’s life, they will be working on this coordination. You’ll notice your baby begin to follow moving objects with his eyes, and he may even begin to reach out for the objects.If you notice your baby’s eyes turning in and out constantly, you may want to have your baby’s vision evaluated.
Six Months
Around this time, you’ll notice your baby become more coordinated and gain better control over their eye movements. By this time, your baby will have developed the ability to see the world in color and in three-dimension, as they will finally be seeing the depth in the world. In the coming months, your baby may start to crawl, which will only enhance their hand-eye coordination and encourage more vision development and interaction with surroundings.
One Year
By your baby’s first birthday, they will be able to judge distances and potentially even throw things at targets with some precision. They will be able to recognize familiar faces and respond appropriately to favorite and familiar objects. When looking at pictures, they will be able to recognize common shapes and sizes, even if they can’t articulate it yet. They will likely show interest by pointing or widening their gaze at the objects they enjoy. Continue to encourage vision development and associations by pointing things out and labeling them.
Infant and child development should not be limited to the pediatrician. In fact, vision care is just as important. Knowing what your infant should be seeing will keep you informed on the vision milestones your baby should be reaching. As a premiere optometrist in Orlando, we have helped many parents handle their children’s vision care. We are a trusted group of eye doctors that aim to serve our patients with the care they deserve. If you are looking for an optometrist in Orlando, contact us at Eyes of Winter Park today to schedule an appointment.