Hi, Nancy. First of all, congratulations! That’s great news! Let me begin by saying that what you have heard is not entirely correct. The American Optometric Association recommends that the first visit be at six months, because by then we can already get a good sense of overall retina health, and we want to catch and address problems early. Already by this age, we can test for serious eye conditions that can seriously affect the child’s vision, learning, and development later in life. This includes childhood amblyopia, which if untreated can cause permanent double vision later on. We also can and should check for vision issues such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.
The first few years of life involve significant and rapid developmental changes in the brain and body, including the eyes. We want to make sure that everything is working as it should be. This includes the basics, like checking for the ability to focus, cross-eyed or having a lazy eye. At Omnivision in Hamden, CT, we also want to check that cognitive and motor development is all normal. Often the first symptoms of developmental and neurological problems manifest in the eyes, and in the way that the eyes interact with the brain. Watching for these kind of issues is especially important in the presence of risk factors such as premature birth, cerebral palsy, or suspected developmental delays.