Newborn Eye Development
When Should Baby See an Optometrist?
What color your baby’s eyes will be is a tough question to answer, but is the main concern of parents regarding their newborns eyes. Most African-American, Asian, and Hispanic babies are born with dark eyes that will most likely stay dark. Caucasian babies are usually born with blue or gray eyes, which may change colors or shades throughout the first year of life, sometimes even longer.
The cause of those color changes is melanin, the pigment that also determines the color of your hair and skin. When your baby is born, light causes melanin production to start in the iris (the colored part of the eye). This may cause your baby’s eyes to change color.
But more important than eye color is eye health. Did you know that your baby should receive his/her first eye examination between the ages of 6 and 12 months? Babies learn to see over a period of time. Healthy eyes and good vision play a critical role in how your infant learns to see. Eye and vision problems in infants can also 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.
Some things you, the parent, can look for that may indicate a visual problem include: excessive tearing, red or encrusted eyelids, constant eye turning, extreme light sensitivity, and appearance of a white pupil. It is important to identify visual problems early. Vision development and eye health problems are easier to correct if diagnosed early.
InfantSEE is the American Optometric Association's public health program designed to ensure that eye and vision care becomes an integral part of infant wellness care to improve a child's quality of life. Under this program, participating optometrists provide a comprehensive infant eye assessment between 6 and 12 months of age as a no-cost public service.
Children should continue to get their eyes examined annually. It is estimated that approximately 20 percent of school-aged children suffer from some type of vision disorder, which can affect learning. Many times glasses and/or contact lenses can solve a child’s visual problem, but sometimes they may benefit from visual therapy. Visual therapy is an individualized treatment plan of exercises for underlying visual problems.
No matter the age, it’s never too early to start your child on the road to great visual health!