{"id":17832,"date":"2021-10-06T17:01:15","date_gmt":"2021-10-06T17:01:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/?page_id=17832"},"modified":"2021-10-06T17:03:23","modified_gmt":"2021-10-06T17:03:23","slug":"8-important-facts-about-your-babys-eyes","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/guide-to-childrens-eye-exams\/pediatric-eye-exams-2\/8-important-facts-about-your-babys-eyes\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Important Facts About Your Baby’s Eyes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Being a parent of a newborn is challenging. These 8 facts will help you recognize any serious changes to your baby\u2019s eyes.\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

Your baby’s eyes develop rapidly as they grow in the first few months of life. Keeping a close watch on a baby’s eye health can help detect problems early on, which is vital to optimize any treatment.<\/p>\n

Here are some important facts you should know, as well as a few possible eye problems that new parents should never overlook.<\/p>\n

1. Smoking can harm an unborn child\u2019s eyes<\/b><\/h2>\n

The risk of premature birth increases when a woman smokes during pregnancy, and preemies have a higher risk of permanent vision loss or blindness.<\/p>\n

In addition, smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of bacterial meningitis in the newborn five-fold, which can result in significant vision\u00a0 loss.<\/p>\n

2. Vision milestones for premature babies should be measured by their <\/b>due date<\/i><\/b>, not their <\/b>birth date<\/i><\/b><\/h2>\n

At each visit, your pediatrician should check your baby\u2019s vision to ensure that it is developing normally.<\/a><\/p>\n

To track if your preemie is meeting their developmental milestones, it is recommended that parents adjust their baby’s age and use the due date and not the actual birth date, to get a true sense of where their baby should be in their development.<\/p>\n

3. A baby can only focus at 1 foot away<\/b><\/h2>\n

A newborn baby can only clearly see objects and people from 12-14 inches (30 to 35 cm) away, as this allows them to recognize their parents while feeding and their source of food.<\/p>\n

Throughout the first few months and years, the connections between the retina<\/a> and the brain are still forming. As a baby’s vision develops, they can focus more clearly on objects directly in front of them.<\/p>\n

SEE RELATED:<\/strong> Do Children Outgrow Their Vision Problems?<\/a><\/p>\n

Schedule an eye exam with an eye doctor near you<\/a> who can detect and manage any eye problems your baby may have.<\/b><\/p>\n\n\t

\n\t\t

Find an eye doctor for children near you<\/h3>\n\t\t\n\t
\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\t\t\n\n\t\t