How A Child’s Eyesight Develops Over The Years

1. Babies eyes

Babies’ eyes are more sensitive to bold colours and to black and white patterns.  Within the first three months of birth, your child’s vision will greatly improve. After these few months, their eyes are actually able to focus on things. 

During this time of development, you should look out for a white reflection glimmer in the eyes. If you are unsure, have a look at photographs as it should be easier to see. This may indicate a problem in the eyes, so to be safe, it is best to make an optometrist appointment. 

2. 6 months

By the six month mark, your child’s eyes should be fully developed. They should now be able to judge 3D shapes. On some rare occasions, by six months, your child may need glasses. 

If you are worried that your child’s eyes are not following you around the room, do a quick check by covering each eye at individual times. If you discover that your child doesn’t like having one eye covered more than the other, then this may indicate a problem and you should make an appointment to get their eyes checked.

3. 4+ years

Between the ages of four and five, vision screening should take place in some schools, but if not and you have any concerns, don’t hesitate to make an appointment. Between the ages of 6-13 short sightedness may start to develop 

If you suspect your child has a lazy eye, treatment for this is most successful before the age of seven. This can be spotted by noticing a squint in your child’s eyes. Lazy eye can run in families which may make it harder to notice.

4. The Growth Spurt

Your child’s eyes will continue to develop and change over the years. This constant changing makes it vital that you stay on top of regular check ups. 

If your child starts complaining of frequent headaches or very tired eyes after school, then you should make an appointment to get them checked by an optometrist. 

Warning signs to look out for

There are many small initial signs that can indicate that there is a problem with your child’s eyes. It’s important not to ignore them, and to instead monitor and get it checked out. 

• Rubbing their eyes whenever they aren’t tired. This is completely normal when they are tired, but if it’s happening during the day, most days, then it’s a good idea to make an appointment.
• Holding books or electronics extremely close to their face in order to read. 
• Complaining about any sort of blurred vision and/or getting headaches.
• Closing an eye when they go out in sunlight. 
• Having extremely watery eyes. 

While this list is not exhaustive, they are the key stages and problems of children’s eye development. If you ever feel concerned about your child’s eyesight, make sure you do not put off making an appointment to get checked out. 

One last thing to say is that normal is normal for a child. They might not realise that things are blurry when they are used to it. Booking them in for a general check up, even when you have no concerns, is always a good idea. 

At Fiona Jennings Optician, we offer eye check ups to children. The NHS covers the cost of check ups and basic glasses, if needed. Book an appointment for your little one today on 02892692224.