Infant Vision
August 18, 2009
Babies learn to see over a period of time, much like they learn to walk and talk. They are not born with all the visual abilities they need a life. The ability to focus there eyes, move them accurately, and use them together as a team must be learned. Also, they need to learn how to use the visual information the eyes send to their brain in order to understand the world around them and interact with it appropriately.
Vision, and how the brain uses visual information, are learned skills.
From birth, babies begin exploring the wonders in the world with their eyes. Even before they learn to reach and grab with their hands or crawl and sit-up, their eyes are providing information and stimulation important for their development.
Healthy eyes and good vision play a critical role in how infants and children learn to see. Eye and vision problems in infants can cause developmental delays. It is important to detect any problems early to ensure babies have the opportunity to develop the visual abilities they need to grow and learn.
Parents play an important role in helping to assure their child”s eyes and vision can develop properly.
Steps that any parent should take include:
- Watching for signs of eye and vision problems.
- Helping their child develop his or her vision by engaging in age-appropriate activities
- Seeking professional eye care starting with the first comprehensive vision assessment at about 6 months of age.
