Eye doctors today, however, recommend that children have their eyes examined before they can read. The American Optometric Association, The American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend a first eye exam at six months of age, again at the age of three or four, then every one to two years thereafter. Sadly, waiting until a child gets a first full vision exam when he or she starts school and is old enough to read an eye chart is usually too late for treatment of some serious eye disorders. Prevent Blindness America, a national eye health and safety organization, is asking parents to think about vision checks this month, which is Children's Eye Health and Safety Month. One in 20 American children are estimated to have a serious eye disorder.
Newborns can make out large shapes and faces, and see bright, strong colors.
But because their vision is immature, they probably cannot distinguish fine details. A baby's visual development is very rapid during the first year of life. By age three to four months, most infants can see small objects. By four months, the baby's eyes should be working together to give the perception of depth binocular vision. By 12 months, a child's vision reaches normal adult levels, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.