Vision & Age
Development
It is an age of amazement and wonder. Everything is new. Everything is exciting. And vision is one of your baby's most important links to the new world.
The contrast is amazing
Even in the womb babies can tell the difference between light and dark. And at birth, they see shapes by following the lines where light and dark meet. Yet, they are several weeks old before they can see their first primary color: red. No wonder they prefer highly contrasted patterns to plain surfaces.
Track the stages
Newborns: Can see 10" to 12" the distance to their mother's
face when nursing. Love faces and high contrast objects.
Three months: Can track a moving object. Highly graphic mobiles and toys
can stimulate visual development.
Six months: Retina is well-developed. Can see small details; distance
and depth perception continue to improve. May develop a real interest in
books.
One year: En route to full development. Eye-hand coordination is
enhanced by games involving pointing, grasping, tossing, placing, and
catching.
Be sure to check out How the Eye
Works to learn more about the basic structure and inner workings of the
eye.
Keep them stimulated
Babies' minds grow and develop rapidly during their first year and proper
stimulation can increase curiosity, attention span, memory, and nervous system
development. It may even lead to a better self-image. So be sure to give your
baby plenty of interesting things to see.
Try bold black and white patterns like checkerboards, bull's eyes, stripes and
dots. Install mobiles and crib panels. Offer rattles, blocks, and stuffed
animals. Read lots of books. Your baby will benefit from the images. And from
your company.
Did you pass it down?
If any of these disorders run in your family, your children may inherit them. So keep an eye out for any signs of trouble.
