Tips for Supporting Your Child's Vision Development From Day One

Our eyes and brain are directly connected in many different ways, with over a million nerves connecting the two organs. Visual development starts from the moment we are born, and the relationship between how we see and our basic functional motor skills is vital to how we grow in childhood. 

During your child’s journey of visual development, meeting visual milestones as they grow is essential as any issues during this process can have lasting effects. To give them the best head start on this development, let’s examine the important visual milestones and see how you can positively influence how well their vision grows over time.

If you’re a resident of the Pelham Gardens area of the Bronx, New York, and are looking for the best ways to help your child’s vision, the specialists at Bronx Eye Associates can help you. 

Important visual milestones

The complicated visual system that connects the brain and your child’s eyes is still forming early on and visual development continues through their teen years. Here’s what the important developmental points look like:

Third month

Childbirth to the fifth month is a vital time in your child’s developing vision. During the first three months, they are blinking in response to bright lights, trying to coordinate eye movement, tracking objects and faces, watching their parents, and developing tears. 

By the third month they can notice objects up to a foot away from them and observe their own hands. 

First year

By one-year-old, they develop full color vision, turn their head to see things, favor specific colors over others, and see smaller objects. They also experience independent eye movement, depth perception, crawl to reach objects, play peek-a-boo, and follow fast moving things.

Three years

During this stage, your child develops clear distance vision, increases depth perception, refines eye movement, recognizes themselves in the mirror, develops fine motor skills, colors with crayons, identifies body parts, and recognizes the size and shape of objects.

Kindergarten

By this time, their vision is close to 20/20 and they develop gross motor coordination. They recognize complex shapes and letters, identify colors, learn some letters and words, start reading, and further develop depth perception and single vision at all distances.

Guiding how well they see

Here are some ways to help your child’s visual growth:

Use of pattern and color recognition to focus vision

In those early months as they’re processing light and figuring out shapes, pinwheels and crib mobiles will catch their attention and engage them while stumbling around in the crib. Look for ways to promote preferential looking where they focus on moving and stationary objects, using color to keep their attention.

Activities that strengthen hand-eye coordination

Toys, puzzles, and games help to develop and improve hand-eye coordination and many games can help them do that with their whole bodies. Even simple things like balloons, coloring books, and basic games on digital pads can build hand-eye coordination.

Engaging them in activities that build vision

Physical activities like walking, running, and jumping allow them to develop depth perception and observe the world around them. Games like catch, tag, and other games for their level will both keep them entertained and build essential skills in interaction and observation.

From the moment they are born, your child builds their world through how they interact with you and the environment you create for them. Use it to help them develop the visual and mental skills they need. If you need other tips on how to help develop your child’s vision, make an appointment with our team at Bronx Eye Associates today.