Pediatric Eye Care Services at Heritage Vision Center

Eye Development By Age

Birth - 24 Months

Your baby's vision is developing rapidly during the first few months of life. They're learning to focus and move their eyes, use them together as a team, and process visual information to understand and interact with the world around them.

Vision problems can impact your baby's motor development as well. For example, if they can't see clearly, they may have difficulty crawling, walking, and developing hand-eye coordination.

That's why it's important to schedule a comprehensive eye exam for your baby at 6 months. During this exam, the eye doctor will check your baby's vision and eye health, and look for any conditions that could impair their vision, such as strabismus (misaligned eyes), farsightedness, nearsightedness, or astigmatism.

If your baby was born premature or is showing signs of developmental delay, they may need more frequent eye exams. This is because they have a higher risk of developing eye and vision problems.

2 - 5 Years

Good vision is essential for toddlers and preschoolers as they experience rapid intellectual and motor growth. During this time, they develop the fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and perceptual abilities needed for reading, writing, sports, and creative activities.

Parents should be on the lookout for signs of vision problems in their young children, such as:

• Lazy eye (amblyopia): When one eye doesn't see clearly.
• Crossed eyes (strabismus): When one or both eyes turn inward or outward.
• Developmental delays in object, number, letter, color recognition, or coordination.
• Squinting
• Rubbing eyes frequently
• Sitting very close to the TV or reading material
• Avoiding activities such as puzzles or coloring

If you notice any of these signs, schedule an eye exam for your child right away. Early detection and treatment of vision problems can lead to better outcomes.

6 - 18 Years

Vision problems can have a significant impact on children and teens, both academically and personally. If your child is struggling in school, after-school activities, or with social interactions, it's essential to consider the possibility of a vision problem.

Proper learning, motor development, reading, and many other skills depend on good vision and the ability of the eyes to work together. Children with vision problems may have difficulty focusing, reading, teaming their eyes, or coordinating their hand-eye movements. This can lead to frustration, behavioral problems, and academic difficulties.

In addition to the signs and symptoms mentioned above, other signs of vision problems in older children include:

• Short attention span
• Headaches
• Frequent blinking
• Avoiding reading
• Tilting the head to one side
• Losing their place often while reading
• Double vision
• Poor reading comprehension

If you notice any of these signs or symptoms in your child, schedule an eye exam right away. Early detection and treatment of vision problems can lead to better outcomes.

A Typical Children’s Exam

• Binocular vision: How the eyes work together as a team
• Focusing: The ability to focus on objects at different distances
• Peripheral vision: The ability to see objects to the side without moving the eyes
• Color vision: The ability to see and distinguish different colors
• Hand-eye coordination: The ability to coordinate the movements of the eyes and hands
• Tracking: The ability to follow moving objects with the eyes

The eye doctor will also examine the area around the eye and inside the eye to check for any eye diseases or health conditions. It is important to inform the doctor of your child's medical history, including premature birth, developmental delays, family history of eye problems, eye injuries, or any medications your child takes. You should also bring up any concerns or issues you have about your child's vision.