Leah Androski
reporter@greenepublishing.com
Below are important vision screenings and referrals for comprehensive eye exams, according to the American Association of Ophthalmology.
Newborn until two months: In the first two months, the retina and up-close vision is becoming more advanced. Babies can normally only see light and dark shapes.
Two until four months: The eyes learn how to work together and watch something moving. Make sure to watch for any turning eyes or delays in watching moving items, and bring any questions or worries to your pediatrician.
Five until eight months: Babies have 3D and color vision. You should watch for grabbing, acknowledging and remembering someone or an item in a room.
Nine until 12 months: Learning how to walk and crawl and being able to grab and move in a straight direction are great signs of advancing eyesight in babies.
Two until six years old: Two year olds normally have “visual accommodation,” where their eyes can change to moving distances and they have a good discernment of depth, watching and things coming together. Advancing hand-eye coordination, better visual memory, gaining the capacity to read an eye chart, starting to recognize letters/objects and starting to gain more reading knowledge.
Early childhood through adolescence: Children this age will have routine eye “screenings,” like reading eye charts. Things that can cause concern include head tilting, squinting, not wanting to read or blinking many times.