{"id":7807,"date":"2020-09-08T10:38:22","date_gmt":"2020-09-08T10:38:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/?page_id=7807"},"modified":"2021-07-15T12:04:20","modified_gmt":"2021-07-15T12:04:20","slug":"5-things-parents-should-know-about-visual-development","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/guide-to-visual-development\/5-things-parents-should-know-about-visual-development\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Things Parents Should Know About Visual Development"},"content":{"rendered":"

Author: Dr. Ingryd Lorenzana<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n

Brain Vision Institute<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. The brain is the only organ that is not fully developed at birth, and its function builds over time, from the bottom up.\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

While the ongoing process starts in the womb, 90 percent of brain development occurs during the first five years of life and continues into adulthood. For this reason, early experiences, positive or negative, have a direct impact on the formation and function of these neural pathways.\u00a0 The efficient formation of these pathways will directly impact brain performance in any life activity we undertake.<\/p>\n

2. Vision is the first of the senses to develop, occurring during the first three to six months of life.\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

Vision is vitally important for a child’s development, as the visual system will send 90percent of the input the brain needs to make over a million new neural connections required for maximized brain development during the first few years of life.<\/p>\n

3. To optimize brain development, a child\u2019s first functional vision evaluation should occur at six months of age.<\/b><\/h2>\n

It is important to know that the functional vision evaluation is different from the eye examinations most children receive in the pediatrician\u2019s office.<\/p>\n

Pediatricians focus on eye health, not vision function.\u00a0 If a pediatrician is concerned with a child\u2019s eye health, they will refer the child to a pediatric Ophthalmologist who is an expert in children\u2019s eye health.<\/p>\n

For this reason, a functional visual development evaluation should be performed by a pediatric optometrist who is uniquely trained on the \u2018functional\u2019 aspect of visual development and its impact on child development.<\/p>\n

If you suspect your child has an eye condition, contact an eye doctor<\/a>\u00a0near you, who can diagnose and treat the condition.<\/strong><\/p>\n

SEE RELATED: <\/strong>Vision Development and Milestones<\/a><\/p>\n\n\t

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