Understanding The Different Stages Of Eye Development
Our eyes are one of the most complex organs in our whole body, and it takes years to develop completely. While within the first three to ten weeks in the womb, the eye development in fetus starts, the changes continue to take place till adolescence.
Eye development takes time as the eyes need to collect and focus light before converting it into an electrical signal, which the brain can understand and requires the use of numerous different types of neurons. So, even before a child takes birth, the process for this learned behaviour begins and involves multiple stages.
What Are The Different Stages Of Eye Development?
As previously mentioned, within the first three to ten weeks, the process of eye development in fetus starts to occur, [1] where the light is perceived through fused eyelids as early as the second trimester.
Light exposure in the womb is critical as it ensures healthy eyes and vision for the child. Babies are exposed to a range of visual stimulus from the moment they are born.[2] However, they may not have the ability to differentiate between two objects.
If you notice, you will find out that most babies are particularly interested in things with a lot of contrast, and that their primary attention is on objects that are very close (less than a foot away), which is almost the same distance as his mother’s face when she’s nursing.
Following this, there are a number of milestones for eye development stages in babies that take place throughout the first year of their life, such as:
- Throughout the first couple of months, the eye development in babies is continuous as the eyes take time learning how to work together and track moving targets. [3] In addition, around this same time, with the evolving eye development in babies, you will also see an improvement in their eye-hand coordination.
- Depth perception is a stage of eye development in babies, where they start to see their surroundings in third dimensions, which usually occurs around the age of five months. Moreover, the establishment of colour vision also takes place during this same period of eye development in babies.
- Most babies learn how to use their eyes and hands together around the age of nine months. This is the same time they begin to crawl and later on start to walk and gain increased coordination. At this stage of eye development, babies can now accurately gauge distances and toss things with considerable precision.
Eye development stage at the age of three to four years:[4]
- Hand-eye coordination and motor skills are improved. A child’s strength with puzzles or construction toys demonstrates this.
- During drawing, improved visual memory aids children in copying forms such as a circle, which helps them with certain recollections to visually portray a storyline.
- Can read the majority of the lines on an eye chart.
Eye development stage at the age of four to six years:
- Comprehension of letters and objects as the child begins reciting alphabets and naming various forms of fruits, objects, family members and such.
- Reading abilities with improved convergence (eyes moving together) enhances the child’s ability to follow words across the page from left to right.
- Depth perception is fully established when both eyes perform effectively together. This aids a youngster in determining the distance between items and themselves. In addition, when a child has adequate depth perception, he or she feels at ease performing sports and starts to feel confident being out in the world.
What Are Some Signs Of Possible Vision Problems In Babies?
Although eye and vision disorders in new-born babies are rare, parents can look for the following indicators that could suggest a problem:
- Excessive tearing is a sign that the tear ducts are clogged.
- Possible eye infection if the eyelids get red or crusty.
- The constant turning of the eyes can be a symptom of strabismus.
- The presence of a white pupil could suggest the presence of an eye malignancy.
It’s fascinating to observe the different eye development stages in babies. However, it is always better to seek expert help when it comes to your child’s vision.
For the same, you can talk to your eye care specialist and understand more about the eye development stages and particular activities that can help ensure proper vision development for your child. Remember that our eyes are one of the most important organs, and ensuring that your child has healthy vision will only mean they can live their life to the fullest!
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