Did you know that learning to use your eyes is a skill we develop over time? We are not born with fully developed vision. Just like learning to talk or walk, mastering the visual skills we rely on throughout the day requires practice and time.
If you have a baby or a young child, there are several ways you can support the healthy development of their vision, such as offering toys that encourage them to use their eyes.
What your baby sees in the first six months
In the early months, a baby’s vision consists of blurry shapes, lights and shadows. They can focus best on objects that are about 15 to 20 cm away – the perfect distance to look at the face of whoever is holding them. Over time, their vision becomes clearer as their central vision develops. Parents can assist in this process by following these tips:
Surround them with vibrant colours. Although it takes a few months for babies to fully see colours, once they do, they will enjoy looking at bright, colourful objects like a mobile over the crib.
Stimulate visual tracking by moving objects in front of their eyes.
Play peek-a-boo games to encourage them to practice focusing.
Notable progress between six and 12 months
Eye-hand coordination starts to develop around six months of age. This is a great time to introduce colourful objects that babies can grab and explore. As they start to crawl or walk, their coordination will improve even further.
Peek-a-boo games may lose their charm during this stage as the child begins to understand object permanence. Once they have figured out the “magic”, it’s time to introduce new challenges, such as hiding toys under a blanket for them to find.
Further developments in childhood
As they continue to grow, children enhance their coordination by learning to walk and play with toys like balls. Two key factors in developing visual skills are balance and understanding. As they learn to speak, they start naming the objects they see and interact with. By the age of two, many children begin expressing themselves artistically. It’s important to provide them with materials like pencils and paper. Toys like wooden blocks that can be stacked and moved are also excellent for promoting their development.
João Albano, Advance Eye Care Orthoptics Bsc(Hons) PGDip(Optometry), MBA
