Most children are farsighted at birth but usually not to a degree requiring glasses. The eye doctor then uses an instrument to test the baby’s eye for a refractive error, such as nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism.

The drops may take 30 to 90 minutes to work. Does the infant react to light shone in the eyes? Will the baby look at a face or follow a moving toy? Other, more sophisticated vision tests may be used if needed.Įye drops are used to temporarily enlarge (dilate) the pupils for closer examination of the eyes. The doctor assesses the baby’s vision by observing the following. The doctor evaluates the baby’s medical history, vision, eye muscles and eye structures. No child is too young for a complete eye exam.Īn eye doctor’s examination of a baby is similar to that performed on adults. If you or your pediatrician believes your baby has a more serious eye problem, which may require medical or surgical treatment, the infant should be referred to an ophthalmologist. Pediatricians can treat simple eye problems such as pinkeye (conjunctivitis). When the baby is 6 months old, the pediatrician should check the baby’s eye alignment and visual fixation (how it focuses its gaze). The pediatrician performs a screening eye exam to check for infections or structural problems with the eyes: malformed eyelids, cataracts, glaucoma or other abnormalities. The first eye exam takes place in the newborn nursery.

As the eyes become aligned, three-dimensional vision develops. By 6 to 8 weeks of age, infants will fix their gaze on an object and follow its movement.Ī baby’s eyes should be well aligned (working as a team) by 4 months of age (see “strabismus” below). Newborns at first don’t pay much attention to the visual world but normally will blink when light shines in their eye. Vision slowly improves to 20/20 by age 2 years. This is equivalent to seeing only the big letter “E” on an eye chart. The newborn’s visual acuity (sharpness of vision) is approximately 20/400. During the first two years of life, the optic nerve, visual function and internal eye structures continue to develop. During the last seven months of pregnancy the eye continues to grow and mature, and the nerve that connects the eye to the brain (optic nerve) is formed.Īt birth a baby’s eye is about 75 percent of the size of an adult eye. For example, if the mother takes drugs or becomes infected with German measles, the eye can be malformed or damaged. During this time the eye is particularly vulnerable to injury. Over the next four weeks all of the major eye structures form. The eyes begin developing two weeks after conception. This issue of “Eye Facts” describes some eye problems that occur. Babies can, however have eye problems, so an eye checkup is still an important part of well-baby care. Fortunately, serious eye conditions and blindness are rare in infants. Many parents naturally are concerned about their child’s vision.

Vision contributes a great deal to an infant’s perception of the world.

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Unequal pupil size in newborn