Sight is one of the most complex senses. The eye structure
is developed in the first 24 weeks of pregnancy but the eyelids may be fused
until 26 weeks and the lenses are cloudy until about 4 months after birth. The
rods develop between 28 and 34 weeks and then the development of the cones
begins. The rods are light sensors and allow your eyes to adjust to variations
in light. They also help with peripheral vision (seeing out of the side of your
eye). The cones are what allow us to see colors. The eyes continue to develop until your child
is around 3 years of age.
Vision takes a large area of the brain at the back. This
area develops before the baby is born in the absence of stimulation (Usually by
34 weeks). At birth, your baby can see
at close range. The best focus is at about 8 to 10 inches from their eyes
(20-25 cm). Babies can see color but early on they can see strong contrast much
better. They show a preference for looking at simple geometric patterns in two
contrasting colors in the first 2 months. By around 3 months, babies are more
interested in faces (both real and in photos or drawings) and pay attention to
more variations in color. At around 4 months, the lenses clear and baby can now
focus beyond the 8-10 inch range. This is often very noticeable, especially
during feeding, because all of a sudden the baby is looking all around and not
focused on the task at hand. He has just
discovered a whole new world.
Vision not only involves seeing with the eyes but the
ability to move the eyes in coordination. The perception of depth and the use
of eye hand coordination rely on the movement of the eyes. In the first two
months a baby may appear cross eyed at times but by 5 months the muscles of the
eyes should be strong enough that a baby can move the eyes together to smoothly
follow a moving object across, up and down and in a circle as well as to guide
their hand to reach and hit an object. When babies begin to crawl, these skills
develop even further. Babies first learn about depth by looking and reaching
for objects that are at different distances. Although there is some concept of
depth in the first few months , this learning really takes off in the second
quarter (4-6 months). As baby becomes more mobile from 6-12 months, he learns
more about depth and can begin to understand it better. Visual skills continue to develop until 6 or 7
years old.
Babies eyes should be protected. They are very sensitive to
light in early infancy and should be shielded as much as possible from harsh
strong light in their eyes. It is never too soon to begin to use sunglasses on
infants who are out in strong sunlight. If your baby is not moving his eyes
smoothly to follow an object or 