But when it comes to vision, poor parental eyesight does up the odds that a child will also need glasses, too. What's more, the M.I.T. researchers found that when a baby is nearsighted at age one, that's often a good predictor of whether the child is likely to be nearsighted at a later age. Infants who are nearsighted usually develop normal eyesight between 1 and 5 years of age, but between 6 and 12, their vision often weakens, particularly if the parents are nearsighted. While there is no known way to improve the odds that a nearsighted infant can escape nearsightedness at an older age, the American Academy of Pediatrics nevertheless recommends that infants be checked for visual problems during their first half-year of life and that eye tests be done at least once a year during their preschool years. Early testing can also enable doctors to fit children suffering from extreme cases of nearsightedness with corrective lenses.
Early intervention can spare such children frustration, ensuring a smooth transition to school.
Waiting until a child starts school to have his or her eyes tested is too late, experts say, because certain eye problems, such as strabismus or anisemetropia, if left undetected till the the age of five or six, can become permanent. If they are detected earlier, however, they are easily remedied. Use our customized Lycos search to linkthink your way around the web, or feel free to consult the experts about the above topic. All rights reserved. All rights reserved.