The sense of sight in a baby develops very gradually. Practically the baby would be able to see right after birth, but during this time the child’s brain will not be able to process all the visual information that crosses its way. As a result, even though the child sees everything, the vision is actually blurred and hazy. As the brain develops, the ability to process images develops. As a result the child is gradually able to see clearly.
Tracking the developmental milestone:
- The initial vision- right after birth, the child is usually able to focus on a maximum distance of 8-15 inches away. Though they are able to see lights or shapes, most movements are blurred to the child during this time. The most interesting sight for tem is their parent’s face up close.
- Tracking a moving object- in the span of 1-2 months age the child’s eye gains the ability to gradually track any moving object. At this time they are able to fix both their eyes on a particular object and track it in case it shows movement. It is during this time the child stares in a transfixed way at most of the new objects near them.
- Distinguishing colors- by the time the baby is 2 months old; the baby’s brain develops and works at distinguishing one color from other. but now they may begin responding towards bright colors and patterns. The child’s development can be further encouraged by showing them picture books or other colorful objects. The object tracking skills of the child are perfected by now.
- Perception of size and shape- at 4 months , the child’s brain will be mature enough to identify a particular object’s size and shape. At this time the motor movements in the child is also pretty developed thereby leading to a tendency of grasping at the things they see.
- Stronger spotting skills- by the time the child is 5 months old, its object tracking skills have been perfected to the core. Apart from that, the child learns to spot little things and also understands that concept of object permanence i.e. things exist even if they cannot be seen at the moment. This is a huge step in the development of sight as it depicts that the brain has matured a lot by this time.
- Clarity in vision- at 8-9 months age, the child’s vision attains the much needed range of clarity. During this time the child can focus better on objects close to them, track fast moving objects and the vision also becomes strong enough to recognize people across the room. By this time the child’s eye also takes their real color.
Parent’s role:
Parent’s need to maintain a regular check-up routine so that they can monitor the monthly development in their child’s vision. If the parent’s families have a history of eye problems, the child should be checked for those problems. In case the baby’s eyes show any infection or abnormality the doctor should be immediately consulted.
